To go along with tonight's launch of the Livestock Pen in FarmVille comes a set of goals (what, you didn't they we'd get away without them, did you?). These goals are of course sheep, goat and llama themed to go along with our new animal breeding building, so read on for how to complete these goals as quickly as possible (and of course receive your rewards).
Farmin' Ain't Easy
* Get 8 Farmer's Overalls
* Place 1 Livestock Pen
* Place 4 Whitewash Fences
Whitewash Fences cost just 300 coins per square, so spend the 1,200 coins on four and then delete them as soon as you're done with this goal. As for the Farmer's Overalls, you'll need to ask your friends to send them to you. Finish this first goal and you'll receive 50 XP, 2,500 coins and a Grey Mouflon Goat.
These Boots Were Made for Farmin'
* Get 8 Pairs of Farmer's Boots
* Buy 3 Barrels
* Harvest 5 Sheep
Barrels cost 125 coins each, so at least this is another cheap expensive just to finish the goal. Gathering the Farmer's Boots is another task for asking your friends to help. Finishing this goal gives you another 50 XP, 2,500 coins and one White Llama.
Perqs for the Talent
* Get 8 Wool Blankets
* Complete the Livestock Pen
* Harvest 50 Vegetables
Luckily, it doesn't matter which of the vegetable crops you grow, so just pick something you have yet to master, or the shortest growth-time vegetable to finish this one off. As for the Wool Blankets - you guessed it - ask your friends to send them to you. As for completing the Livestock Pen, you can check out our guide to doing so right here. Finish off this goal to earn 50 XP, 2,500 coins and five Animal Feed.
Hay-Ho the Dairy-O!
* Get 8 Piles of Hay
* Harvest the Livestock Pen
* Harvest 75 Flowers
Again, it doesn't look like it matters which kind of flower you harvest, so just pick the lowest harvest-time building and you'll be able to move on. Ask your friends for the Piles of Hay and eventually you'll finish this one off, being rewarded with 50 XP, 2,500 coins and Flower Sheep for your efforts.
Keeping Up With Baby
* Get 8 Livestock Tags
* Raise a Livestock Baby
* Harvest 90 Fruit
Remember, common Livestock Babies take 10 Animal Feed to grow, while rare babies take 30. Once you finish this goal, you'll earn another 50 XP, 2,500 coins and five Animal Feed.
Get Oat!
* Get 9 Oat Sacks
* Master White Llama to Level 1
* Harvest 100 Vegetable Crops
Again, plant whatever vegetable you like just to be done with this one as quickly as possible. As for the Oat Sacks, you might be lucky enough to have some extras on hand from the first set of Lighthouse Cove goals, but if not, just ask your friends to send you the Sacks that you do need. Finishing off this last goal in the series gives you 50 XP, 2,500 coins and a Black Laxta Sheep.
Luckily, we're given a full two weeks to work on these goals, so if you have others that you need to clear off your plate first, feel free to do so without worrying about these expiring as well.
Check out the rest of our FarmVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of these Livestock Pen goals, or the Livestock Pen in general? Sound off in the comments.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Coco Girl on Facebook: For the fervent fashionista in all of us
Alright, so the fashion game has already been done on Facebook. But Damian Harburger, CEO of Argentina-based social game developer MetroGames, thinks that it hasn't been done right. Well, until now. We know, you're used to seeing hardcore-skewed social games come from the developer like AutoHustle.
Consider this most recent release a fundamental shift for the studio. Harburger tells us that, from here on out, MetroGames will focus largely on women when it comes to Facebook games, and on the more hardcore crowd (mostly men) in its mobile efforts.
Coco Girl is a Facebook game designed for the fashionista in every girl (and guy, in this writer's very particular case). Every girl has her opinions on fashion--some are just more vocal than others, no?--and Coco Girl provides the medium through which to express them.
At every turn in Coco Girl, you're given the opportunity to voice your take on various outfits and in a multitude of situations. In fact, rating your fellow females' outfits is the basis of the game. Sure, players can visit various shops and dress their heavily customized avatar (seriously, even I spent at least 30 minutes fine-tuning my lady). But it's the ability to give other players' clothing choices your two cents, or Rubies in this case, that's the star of this fashion show.
Coco Girl isn't governed by an energy system or too much of a gameplay structure, though you are given daily tasks to complete and quests to embark on. The quests are simply introductory, tiny tasks designed to introduce you to the game's myriad features and customization options. Your Daily Ruby-Maker Checklist is the bread and butter of Coco Girl, and is essentially what's going to get you the Rubies you need to purchase now outfits, make-up and accessories.
Gallery: Coco Girl on Facebook
While in your character's home, you will notice a magazine called Fashion Expert. Every day, you'll open it up and rate at least 20 outfits based on whether you dig them, or whether they're appropriate for certain situations like, say, a job interview or a casting call for a horror movie. However, the amount of Rubies you earn for doing this depends directly upon whether you're opinions gel with the rest of the Coco Girl player base.
While this does well to keep you in line with "what's hot" at the moment, it has the potential to limit daring or unique fashion statements. Nevertheless this is perhaps the most elegant approach yet to having opinions play a meaningful role in a Facebook game. Players can then participate in various mini games in the Coco Carnival to add a dash of variety to simply voting on get-ups, which of course will result in precious Rubies.
The first of which is Fashion Slots, a game in which you must successfully complete an outfit that a fellow lady is looking for. You do this by stopping a spinning wheel of various clothing items in a particular category. As you continue to try and select the correct items, the wheel will spin faster. Then there is Elusive Treasures, a hidden object game that times you on how many, well, hidden objects you can spot within the time limit. The Final mini game is Love Machine, a puzzle game that has players rearranging pipes to create a direct path between two lovers.
Coco Girl Home
All three mini games offer a considerable challenge and refreshing variety to Coco Girl. More importantly, they also provide Tickets, a currency that can only be spent in Coco Carnival on more Rubies or accessories for your avatar to hold. Finally, you can create Daily Looks and Quest Looks--an important aspect of Coco Girl, if you want to be a respected fashion expert in-game.
Every look you create in the game, once saved, can and probably will be voted upon by other players--friend or not--in the Fashion Expert feature. The Daily Looks are voted upon using a star system, while Quest Looks, the outfits you create to best fit certain situations, are a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down affair. And at the end of the day in Coco Girl, it's all about the votes, it seems.
The ultimate Goal of Coco Girl is to have one of your outfits make it into the Daily Looks Hall of Fame. The get-ups that get the most positive votes are featured every day, and those that the score the most of all time get a spot and recognition forever. You can even buy those top-ranking outfits for Facebook Credits, if you want a competitive edge.
Coco Girl, on top of its detailed artwork, slick animations and varied gameplay, is all about what matters in a Facebook game about fashion: the looks and what people think about 'em, because we all have an opinion.
Click here to play Coco Girl on Facebook Now >
Have you tried Coco Girl on Facebook yet? What do you think of Facebook games directly geared towards women? Do you think any game thus far has been one that "gets it?" Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Consider this most recent release a fundamental shift for the studio. Harburger tells us that, from here on out, MetroGames will focus largely on women when it comes to Facebook games, and on the more hardcore crowd (mostly men) in its mobile efforts.
Coco Girl is a Facebook game designed for the fashionista in every girl (and guy, in this writer's very particular case). Every girl has her opinions on fashion--some are just more vocal than others, no?--and Coco Girl provides the medium through which to express them.
At every turn in Coco Girl, you're given the opportunity to voice your take on various outfits and in a multitude of situations. In fact, rating your fellow females' outfits is the basis of the game. Sure, players can visit various shops and dress their heavily customized avatar (seriously, even I spent at least 30 minutes fine-tuning my lady). But it's the ability to give other players' clothing choices your two cents, or Rubies in this case, that's the star of this fashion show.
Coco Girl isn't governed by an energy system or too much of a gameplay structure, though you are given daily tasks to complete and quests to embark on. The quests are simply introductory, tiny tasks designed to introduce you to the game's myriad features and customization options. Your Daily Ruby-Maker Checklist is the bread and butter of Coco Girl, and is essentially what's going to get you the Rubies you need to purchase now outfits, make-up and accessories.
Gallery: Coco Girl on Facebook
While in your character's home, you will notice a magazine called Fashion Expert. Every day, you'll open it up and rate at least 20 outfits based on whether you dig them, or whether they're appropriate for certain situations like, say, a job interview or a casting call for a horror movie. However, the amount of Rubies you earn for doing this depends directly upon whether you're opinions gel with the rest of the Coco Girl player base.
While this does well to keep you in line with "what's hot" at the moment, it has the potential to limit daring or unique fashion statements. Nevertheless this is perhaps the most elegant approach yet to having opinions play a meaningful role in a Facebook game. Players can then participate in various mini games in the Coco Carnival to add a dash of variety to simply voting on get-ups, which of course will result in precious Rubies.
The first of which is Fashion Slots, a game in which you must successfully complete an outfit that a fellow lady is looking for. You do this by stopping a spinning wheel of various clothing items in a particular category. As you continue to try and select the correct items, the wheel will spin faster. Then there is Elusive Treasures, a hidden object game that times you on how many, well, hidden objects you can spot within the time limit. The Final mini game is Love Machine, a puzzle game that has players rearranging pipes to create a direct path between two lovers.
Coco Girl Home
All three mini games offer a considerable challenge and refreshing variety to Coco Girl. More importantly, they also provide Tickets, a currency that can only be spent in Coco Carnival on more Rubies or accessories for your avatar to hold. Finally, you can create Daily Looks and Quest Looks--an important aspect of Coco Girl, if you want to be a respected fashion expert in-game.
Every look you create in the game, once saved, can and probably will be voted upon by other players--friend or not--in the Fashion Expert feature. The Daily Looks are voted upon using a star system, while Quest Looks, the outfits you create to best fit certain situations, are a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down affair. And at the end of the day in Coco Girl, it's all about the votes, it seems.
The ultimate Goal of Coco Girl is to have one of your outfits make it into the Daily Looks Hall of Fame. The get-ups that get the most positive votes are featured every day, and those that the score the most of all time get a spot and recognition forever. You can even buy those top-ranking outfits for Facebook Credits, if you want a competitive edge.
Coco Girl, on top of its detailed artwork, slick animations and varied gameplay, is all about what matters in a Facebook game about fashion: the looks and what people think about 'em, because we all have an opinion.
Click here to play Coco Girl on Facebook Now >
Have you tried Coco Girl on Facebook yet? What do you think of Facebook games directly geared towards women? Do you think any game thus far has been one that "gets it?" Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Want to taste the FarmVille crops you harvest? Take a trip to Turkey
FarmVille Restaurant
Oh, how the tables have turned, Zynga. It looks like some industrious folks in Göreme (a small town in the historical Cappadocia region of Turkey) cooked up the brilliant idea of opening their own FarmVille restaurant. There's only one small problem: We're sure Zynga is flattered, but we doubt these super fans have the clearance for such a fine establishment.
Kotaku's Stephen Totilo found the restaurant while on travels through the visibly gorgeous country, and took a few snapshots. The "FarmVille Cafe & Restaurant" even uses the official FarmVille logo and dishes inspired by the game like Shepherd Salad and FarmVille Salad, and more general items like Tuna Fish Salad and Chicken Salad.
There are certainly more dishes available, but these are all we can point up. I guess Turkey has some seriously devoted FarmVille fans ... and even more savvy entrepreneurs. If you want a taste of FarmVille, you better book a flight now--knowing Zynga, this probably won't last much longer. (Sorry, Turkish dudes.)
[Image Credit: Kotaku]
What do you think of this FarmVille inspired restaurant? Would you ever dine at an official FarmVille eatery? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Oh, how the tables have turned, Zynga. It looks like some industrious folks in Göreme (a small town in the historical Cappadocia region of Turkey) cooked up the brilliant idea of opening their own FarmVille restaurant. There's only one small problem: We're sure Zynga is flattered, but we doubt these super fans have the clearance for such a fine establishment.
Kotaku's Stephen Totilo found the restaurant while on travels through the visibly gorgeous country, and took a few snapshots. The "FarmVille Cafe & Restaurant" even uses the official FarmVille logo and dishes inspired by the game like Shepherd Salad and FarmVille Salad, and more general items like Tuna Fish Salad and Chicken Salad.
There are certainly more dishes available, but these are all we can point up. I guess Turkey has some seriously devoted FarmVille fans ... and even more savvy entrepreneurs. If you want a taste of FarmVille, you better book a flight now--knowing Zynga, this probably won't last much longer. (Sorry, Turkish dudes.)
[Image Credit: Kotaku]
What do you think of this FarmVille inspired restaurant? Would you ever dine at an official FarmVille eatery? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Bossa Studios's Facebook debut, Monstermind, will crush your dreams
But in a good way, we promise. Like the U.S., folks in the UK are super cereal (isn't that what kids are saying these days?) about the social games movement. The Guardian reports that Shine TV has acquired London-based social game startup Bossa Studios for an undisclosed amount.
Elisabeth Murdoch's TV production company (recently bought out by daddy's News Corp) has reportedly been eying social gaming for a long time. And what do you know--her timing could not have been better.
According to The Guardian, 11-month-old Bossa Studios looks to unveil its first project, Monstermind (pictured), next week on Facebook. However, it looks like the game is available now on Facebook, though in an "open beta." (For all intents and purposes, the game is live and available for all to play.)
"We have long identified social gaming as a critical component to this strategy, and in Bossa Studios we discovered an entrepreneurial, creative team that shared our passion for creative excellence," Miss Murdoch told The Guardian. "They have bold ideas for this space which we naturally welcome and will be a significant addition to the Shine Group."
Monstermind looks to be a fresh take on the city-building genre that CityVille has done so well to popularize. Well, fresh in the sense that, in addition to building cities, you can sic giant monsters to crush your friends' towns. The game features nearly full 3D visuals and an art style that screams "The Blob meets Sim City." Check out the game's trailer below to see what we mean.
Click here to play Monstermind on Facebook Now >
Were you waiting for a new approach to city-builders on Facebook? What do you think so far of this new studio's first contribution to Facebook gaming? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Elisabeth Murdoch's TV production company (recently bought out by daddy's News Corp) has reportedly been eying social gaming for a long time. And what do you know--her timing could not have been better.
According to The Guardian, 11-month-old Bossa Studios looks to unveil its first project, Monstermind (pictured), next week on Facebook. However, it looks like the game is available now on Facebook, though in an "open beta." (For all intents and purposes, the game is live and available for all to play.)
"We have long identified social gaming as a critical component to this strategy, and in Bossa Studios we discovered an entrepreneurial, creative team that shared our passion for creative excellence," Miss Murdoch told The Guardian. "They have bold ideas for this space which we naturally welcome and will be a significant addition to the Shine Group."
Monstermind looks to be a fresh take on the city-building genre that CityVille has done so well to popularize. Well, fresh in the sense that, in addition to building cities, you can sic giant monsters to crush your friends' towns. The game features nearly full 3D visuals and an art style that screams "The Blob meets Sim City." Check out the game's trailer below to see what we mean.
Click here to play Monstermind on Facebook Now >
Were you waiting for a new approach to city-builders on Facebook? What do you think so far of this new studio's first contribution to Facebook gaming? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
FarmVille meets Indiana Jones for real in Adventure World soon
Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game
Since Adventure World's release last week, many media outlets dubbed it "FarmVille meets Indiana Jones." It seems that Zynga took those allusions to heart, as the company has teamed up with Lucasfilm to make good on those hit-generating remarks. Zynga just announced that Indiana Jones will soon make his way into Adventure World this October.
In fact, it appears that the game will be completely rebranded with the Indiana Jones name, according to the above image. The teaser depicts the familiar Adventure World logo, but now reads, "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game." To us at least, this implies that Zynga Boston's debut game will incorporate the Indiana Jones brand throughout (and perhaps permanently). The wording of Zynga's announcement certainly steers us toward this conclusion:
Zynga is proud to announce that we're teaming up with Lucasfilm to bring Indiana Jones - the KING of lost idol hunting, bull whipping, holy grail-ing and flying (but not landing) - to your favorite adventure game. Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game will be coming soon to a browser near you.
If this is, in fact, the case, Adventure World would be the first Zynga game built entirely around a single brand, rather than the one-off promotions we see from brands like McDonald's in FarmVille and recently Best Buy in CityVille. Considering the massively ambitious game hasn't been doing so hot its first week out of the gate, this could be second wind it needs.
Is the Indy Jones fan in you excited by this announcement? What do you think of Adventure World so far? Sound off in the comments. 5 Comments
Since Adventure World's release last week, many media outlets dubbed it "FarmVille meets Indiana Jones." It seems that Zynga took those allusions to heart, as the company has teamed up with Lucasfilm to make good on those hit-generating remarks. Zynga just announced that Indiana Jones will soon make his way into Adventure World this October.
In fact, it appears that the game will be completely rebranded with the Indiana Jones name, according to the above image. The teaser depicts the familiar Adventure World logo, but now reads, "Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game." To us at least, this implies that Zynga Boston's debut game will incorporate the Indiana Jones brand throughout (and perhaps permanently). The wording of Zynga's announcement certainly steers us toward this conclusion:
Zynga is proud to announce that we're teaming up with Lucasfilm to bring Indiana Jones - the KING of lost idol hunting, bull whipping, holy grail-ing and flying (but not landing) - to your favorite adventure game. Adventure World: An Indiana Jones Game will be coming soon to a browser near you.
If this is, in fact, the case, Adventure World would be the first Zynga game built entirely around a single brand, rather than the one-off promotions we see from brands like McDonald's in FarmVille and recently Best Buy in CityVille. Considering the massively ambitious game hasn't been doing so hot its first week out of the gate, this could be second wind it needs.
Is the Indy Jones fan in you excited by this announcement? What do you think of Adventure World so far? Sound off in the comments. 5 Comments
Thursday, September 29, 2011
No More Heroes creator to spit out three more Mobage social games
And only one of which will actually involve grasshoppers. Grasshopper Manufacture, the Japanese developer responsible for stylish, gory hardcore games like No More Heroes, revealed just before the Tokyo Game Show that it will release three mobile social games through the now-global Mobage network, Kotaku reports.
The first game to be released internationally under this new deal between the developer and DeNA, which runs the Mobage network with recent acquisition ngmoco, is Frog Minutes. The game already released in Japan back in March, so this will likely just be a localized version for Mobage on Android phones in the U.S. and abroad.
In Frog Minutes, players disturb parts of a forest scene to stir up various insects and feed them to frogs. The more quickly players do this, the higher their score will climb, it seems. Ribbeting, isn't it? (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Not much was revealed about Grasshopper Manufacture's other two Mobage projects other than their titles: Humans vs Zombies and Alien Busters.
The developer plans to show more of those games at a later date, according to Kotaku. Grasshopper Manufacture is placing big bets on social games with a mobile social version of No More Heroes, which designer Suda 51 said he hopes it will be bloodiest social game around.
While it's interesting to see a Japanese developer known for taking risks with unique games major consoles that (unfortunately) sell poorly hop into the low-risk, high-profit world of social gaming, it wasn't hard to see this one coming. And considering the effect social games has had on traditional American developers, we doubt this is the last news like this we'll hear from Japan.
Are you excited to see Grasshopper Manufacture go full-bore into social gaming? What other Japanese developers do you expect to see enter the space? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
The first game to be released internationally under this new deal between the developer and DeNA, which runs the Mobage network with recent acquisition ngmoco, is Frog Minutes. The game already released in Japan back in March, so this will likely just be a localized version for Mobage on Android phones in the U.S. and abroad.
In Frog Minutes, players disturb parts of a forest scene to stir up various insects and feed them to frogs. The more quickly players do this, the higher their score will climb, it seems. Ribbeting, isn't it? (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Not much was revealed about Grasshopper Manufacture's other two Mobage projects other than their titles: Humans vs Zombies and Alien Busters.
The developer plans to show more of those games at a later date, according to Kotaku. Grasshopper Manufacture is placing big bets on social games with a mobile social version of No More Heroes, which designer Suda 51 said he hopes it will be bloodiest social game around.
While it's interesting to see a Japanese developer known for taking risks with unique games major consoles that (unfortunately) sell poorly hop into the low-risk, high-profit world of social gaming, it wasn't hard to see this one coming. And considering the effect social games has had on traditional American developers, we doubt this is the last news like this we'll hear from Japan.
Are you excited to see Grasshopper Manufacture go full-bore into social gaming? What other Japanese developers do you expect to see enter the space? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Karma Kingdom looks to combine social good, social fun on Facebook
A Facebook game that can score us some good karma points--where do we sign up? We've seen games like FarmVille and CityVille run social good campaigns, but Singapore-based developer Asvathaa has a made an entire game of the idea. The developer just released Karma Kingdom on Facebook, a quest-driven game that looks to help you "Create Your Better World," according to its tag line.
Karma Kingdom integrates Indian mythology into modern lessons of doing good for others. It does this by allowing players to curate an island nation and maintain their citizens' happiness using the three tenants of happiness: health, community and knowledge. You will be guided by several Indian gods and goddesses in your efforts to keep the people happy through quests.
You do this through creating homes for your people to live in, and then surrounding those homes with decorations that promote Health, Community and Knowledge. It seems as if it's important to keep that balance in the decorations you place. Otherwise, your citizens will quickly become unhappy and provide less Goodwill, the resource you need to provide for your people.
Players can plant crops to provide more Goodwill, and the game doesn't seem to be governed by any energy system. (Now, that's something fresh.) But what's more important is the real goodwill Asvathaa aims to create with Karma Kingdom. The Singapore developer has promised to donate a 10 percent of its income through Facebook Credits to non-profit charities. (However, Asvathaa doesn't say which charities it will donate to exactly.)
Karma Kingdom in action
The more happiness-generating decorations you buy in the game using Facebook Credits, the more Asvathaa will donate ... somewhere. "We want to offer a personal CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) platform for every individual as the desire to give back exists in each one of us," Asvathaa CEO and founder Ashok Desai said in a release. If anything, the game looks to be a fresh take on the genre given that it doesn't limit your play time through energy, and maybe it will do some good, too.
Click here to play Karma Kingdom on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new Facebook game yet, and what do you think of the fact that it doesn't limit you via energy? Would you ever pay up in the game, not knowing exactly where your Facebook Credits are going? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Karma Kingdom integrates Indian mythology into modern lessons of doing good for others. It does this by allowing players to curate an island nation and maintain their citizens' happiness using the three tenants of happiness: health, community and knowledge. You will be guided by several Indian gods and goddesses in your efforts to keep the people happy through quests.
You do this through creating homes for your people to live in, and then surrounding those homes with decorations that promote Health, Community and Knowledge. It seems as if it's important to keep that balance in the decorations you place. Otherwise, your citizens will quickly become unhappy and provide less Goodwill, the resource you need to provide for your people.
Players can plant crops to provide more Goodwill, and the game doesn't seem to be governed by any energy system. (Now, that's something fresh.) But what's more important is the real goodwill Asvathaa aims to create with Karma Kingdom. The Singapore developer has promised to donate a 10 percent of its income through Facebook Credits to non-profit charities. (However, Asvathaa doesn't say which charities it will donate to exactly.)
Karma Kingdom in action
The more happiness-generating decorations you buy in the game using Facebook Credits, the more Asvathaa will donate ... somewhere. "We want to offer a personal CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) platform for every individual as the desire to give back exists in each one of us," Asvathaa CEO and founder Ashok Desai said in a release. If anything, the game looks to be a fresh take on the genre given that it doesn't limit your play time through energy, and maybe it will do some good, too.
Click here to play Karma Kingdom on Facebook Now >
Have you tried this new Facebook game yet, and what do you think of the fact that it doesn't limit you via energy? Would you ever pay up in the game, not knowing exactly where your Facebook Credits are going? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Game of the Day: Madpet Half-Pipe
mad pet half pipe game of the dayHelp the Madpets tear up the half-pipe in this cute skateboarding game. Choose between cute foxes, pigs, bunnies, and more. Then select between Free Ride, Challenge, or Big Air; and you're ready to hit the pipe. Think you've mastered the half-pipe and have what it takes to be a pro skater? Then open up the combo list and attempt some of the more advanced tricks. Complete them all and you've earned yourself a place amongst the best of the Madpet skaters.
Click here to play Madpet Half-Pipe!
madpet half pipe game of the day madpet half pipe game of the day
Pro Tips:
* To execute the harder tricks, press the combo buttons at the same time, that way your pet won't preemptively do a different trick.
* Practice in free mode before attempting challenge and big air. That way you can learn some of the higher scoring tricks before taking them to competition.
* Even if your trick looks as though it has completed by the time you land, if you cut it close, often your pet will fall and lose all momentum. Play it safe and finish your tricks well before the landing.
Click here to play Madpet Half-Pipe!
What did you think of Madpet Half-Pipe? Were you able to execute all the tricks?
Click here to play Madpet Half-Pipe!
madpet half pipe game of the day madpet half pipe game of the day
Pro Tips:
* To execute the harder tricks, press the combo buttons at the same time, that way your pet won't preemptively do a different trick.
* Practice in free mode before attempting challenge and big air. That way you can learn some of the higher scoring tricks before taking them to competition.
* Even if your trick looks as though it has completed by the time you land, if you cut it close, often your pet will fall and lose all momentum. Play it safe and finish your tricks well before the landing.
Click here to play Madpet Half-Pipe!
What did you think of Madpet Half-Pipe? Were you able to execute all the tricks?
Club Penguin fires a salvo of fun with Puffle Launch for iPhone [Video]
Parents, secure the iPhones and iPads. If Club Penguin isn't going to slide onto Facebook anytime soon, we'll take the next best thing: the iPhone. Puffle Launch, first released as a mini game within the kids world of Club Penguin over a year ago, launches onto iPhone tomorrow, Sept. 15. The game, which will be available for the paltry price of $.99, puts players in control of Daredevil, one of the many Puffles available in the existing Disney-owned web game.
Just like in Club Penguin, kids can fire Daredevil from a cannon, careening into obstacles and collecting Coins. Better yet, those Coins can be transferred to kids' existing Club Penguin accounts to buy new items from the web game's store. As players advance through the game's many daring and dangerous aerial courses, they will eventually have to face the Crab Boss.
According to a Club Penguin representative, Puffle Launch is already played by 150,000 kids daily, and a new Puffle is adopted every second in the kid-friendly virtual world. (That amounts to more than 20 million of the little balls of love adopted in 2011 already!) With statistics like that, color us baffled as to why Club Penguin has yet to hit Facebook, especially considering the amount of preteens that are already active on the social network.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Club Penguin's expansion beyond its little home on the web and onto new platforms (aside from Nintendo's stable of consoles). Check out the game's trailer below, but you might not want to show the kids just yet, unless you're willing to buy it on every iOS device in the house.
Are you excited that Club Penguin has finally made it to iOS? Where or how else would you like to see the Club Penguin franchise go? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Just like in Club Penguin, kids can fire Daredevil from a cannon, careening into obstacles and collecting Coins. Better yet, those Coins can be transferred to kids' existing Club Penguin accounts to buy new items from the web game's store. As players advance through the game's many daring and dangerous aerial courses, they will eventually have to face the Crab Boss.
According to a Club Penguin representative, Puffle Launch is already played by 150,000 kids daily, and a new Puffle is adopted every second in the kid-friendly virtual world. (That amounts to more than 20 million of the little balls of love adopted in 2011 already!) With statistics like that, color us baffled as to why Club Penguin has yet to hit Facebook, especially considering the amount of preteens that are already active on the social network.
Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Club Penguin's expansion beyond its little home on the web and onto new platforms (aside from Nintendo's stable of consoles). Check out the game's trailer below, but you might not want to show the kids just yet, unless you're willing to buy it on every iOS device in the house.
Are you excited that Club Penguin has finally made it to iOS? Where or how else would you like to see the Club Penguin franchise go? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Yesn's flower bouquet forest
Click here to make the image larger.
After featuring Hemi 426's zoo farm yesterday, I decided to feature something a bit more abstract today. Yesn's FarmVille tree bouquet is exactly that. Yesn seems to have thrown out the structure, thrown out the organization, and settled with a very organic, fun, and ultimately beautiful design.
If you've ever read any of my FarmVille Pic of the Day posts, you know I love seeing art created with items other than the usual hay bales. I'm especially fond of tree art, and this is an excellent example of how to flawlessly execute it. I'd say this FarmVille design is on the same level as the fire-breathing dragon and giant Lady Gaga, two tree art masterpieces. In addition to the wild design, the arrangement of flowers itself is very nice. Yesn seems to have worked hard to ensure the bouquet doesn't feature any flower repeats, each one is unique.
Great job Yesn, and here's to hoping you have plenty of arborists!
What do you think of Yesn's FarmVille flower arrangement?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
After featuring Hemi 426's zoo farm yesterday, I decided to feature something a bit more abstract today. Yesn's FarmVille tree bouquet is exactly that. Yesn seems to have thrown out the structure, thrown out the organization, and settled with a very organic, fun, and ultimately beautiful design.
If you've ever read any of my FarmVille Pic of the Day posts, you know I love seeing art created with items other than the usual hay bales. I'm especially fond of tree art, and this is an excellent example of how to flawlessly execute it. I'd say this FarmVille design is on the same level as the fire-breathing dragon and giant Lady Gaga, two tree art masterpieces. In addition to the wild design, the arrangement of flowers itself is very nice. Yesn seems to have worked hard to ensure the bouquet doesn't feature any flower repeats, each one is unique.
Great job Yesn, and here's to hoping you have plenty of arborists!
What do you think of Yesn's FarmVille flower arrangement?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Hemi 426's zoo takes animal collecting to the next level
With recent FarmVille releases such as the Aviary Habitat, Zoo Habitat, Pet Run, and Wildlife Habitat, it was only a matter of time before awesome zoo farms came flooding in. But, after browsing through a few, there was no question that Hemi 426's zoo was the most impressive of them all. Folks, prepare yourselves, because this farm will blow you away.
Hemi 426's zoo spares no expense; there is a ridiculous amount of content for just one farm. The most impressive part is, the farm is all so well organized. Usually, this type of farm would look like a total mess, with animals, and buildings thrown all over the place. On the other hand, Hemi 426's zoo farm is beautifully designed, with areas for each exhibit. It even incorporates hay bale walkways and staircases to the petting zoo and lower levels. And of course, you have to respect the ridiculous amount of mastery signs Hemi 426 has accumulated. But words can't possibly do this epic creation justice, so take a look at the close up pictures below:
Click the images to see them larger.
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Trapped Area
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Petting Zoo
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Masteries farmville zoo Hemi 426 Foals
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Exotic Creatures
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Sheep
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Zoo Area
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Atrium
What do you think of Hemi 426's zoo farm? Which is your favorite exhibit?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Hemi 426's zoo spares no expense; there is a ridiculous amount of content for just one farm. The most impressive part is, the farm is all so well organized. Usually, this type of farm would look like a total mess, with animals, and buildings thrown all over the place. On the other hand, Hemi 426's zoo farm is beautifully designed, with areas for each exhibit. It even incorporates hay bale walkways and staircases to the petting zoo and lower levels. And of course, you have to respect the ridiculous amount of mastery signs Hemi 426 has accumulated. But words can't possibly do this epic creation justice, so take a look at the close up pictures below:
Click the images to see them larger.
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Trapped Area
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Petting Zoo
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Masteries farmville zoo Hemi 426 Foals
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Exotic Creatures
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Sheep
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Zoo Area
farmville zoo Hemi 426 Atrium
What do you think of Hemi 426's zoo farm? Which is your favorite exhibit?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
The Sims Social: Grab free fan gifts with our links roundup
Update: On 9/19 at 1:19 p.m., the Sims Social official fan page announced that the following links will be expiring soon, but didn't specify when. For more freebies, you can also try grabbing the exclusive Dunkin' Donuts Lawn Chair (announced 9/15) and the Pogo Arcade Machine (discovered yesterday).
After a botched attempt at granting free fan freebies for The Sims Social last month, Playfish and EA have begun rolling out free fan gifts again so players can get a second chance.
Also, if you were one of the lucky players who did manage to grab those free gifts the first time around, you're still eligible to grab more! (Hey, you can always sell them to make some Simoleons.)
Anyway, these gifts were released one at a time, spaced over several consecutive days, so to make it easier for you guys, we've rounded up the links in one post.
Here's what you need to do:
Step 1: Log into Facebook.
Step 2: You still have to 'Like' the official fan page in order for these to work.
Step 3: Click on the item you want in the chart below. (Note: Each link will open a New Window.)
Below is a list of what's been given out so far, and when they did it. This page will be updated as the freebies continue.
* Liebefunkenmann SS-10 Keyboard (Sept. 6)
* CharKoohl Black BBQ (Sept. 7)
* Still Life Easel (Sept. 8)
* Basix Bookshelves (Sept. 9)
* Neukum Classic Guitar (Sept. 10)
* Llamark Chillblast Fall (Sept. 11)
* PerpetuLux-Sable (Sept. 12)
* Rub-A-Dub-Tub (Sept. 13)
* Pompeii Fireplace (Sept. 14)
Which is your favorite free gift? Did you know that aside from looking pretty, some of these are important to completing certain missions in the game? Sound off in the comments. 7 Comments
After a botched attempt at granting free fan freebies for The Sims Social last month, Playfish and EA have begun rolling out free fan gifts again so players can get a second chance.
Also, if you were one of the lucky players who did manage to grab those free gifts the first time around, you're still eligible to grab more! (Hey, you can always sell them to make some Simoleons.)
Anyway, these gifts were released one at a time, spaced over several consecutive days, so to make it easier for you guys, we've rounded up the links in one post.
Here's what you need to do:
Step 1: Log into Facebook.
Step 2: You still have to 'Like' the official fan page in order for these to work.
Step 3: Click on the item you want in the chart below. (Note: Each link will open a New Window.)
Below is a list of what's been given out so far, and when they did it. This page will be updated as the freebies continue.
* Liebefunkenmann SS-10 Keyboard (Sept. 6)
* CharKoohl Black BBQ (Sept. 7)
* Still Life Easel (Sept. 8)
* Basix Bookshelves (Sept. 9)
* Neukum Classic Guitar (Sept. 10)
* Llamark Chillblast Fall (Sept. 11)
* PerpetuLux-Sable (Sept. 12)
* Rub-A-Dub-Tub (Sept. 13)
* Pompeii Fireplace (Sept. 14)
Which is your favorite free gift? Did you know that aside from looking pretty, some of these are important to completing certain missions in the game? Sound off in the comments. 7 Comments
Angry Birds is the top game on Google+ Games, Rovio exec says
Angry Bird explosion
Where else will the Angry Birds crash land into and dominate? Nintendo 3DS? Xbox 360? Your scientific calculator? Who knows, but according to All Things Digital, Rovio SVP of brand advertising and analytics Wibe Wagemans said yesterday at the Mobile Future Forward conference in Seattle, Wash. that Angry Birds is the number on game on Google+ Games.
Granted, that's out of all 16 games on the platform right now, but some of those games were put there by the likes of major social game creators like Zynga, Wooga, EA and Playdom. Wagemans, formerly an executive on Microsoft's Bing team, went on to say that Rovio has grown faster in the past two years than companies like MySpace, YouTube, Amazon and Skype. He also said, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history," ATD reports.
When you think about it, though: Not only is the Angry Birds game on nearly every gaming platform under the sun, but the little wingless cartoons and their amorphous green piglet enemies have been transformed into plush toys, t-shirts, board games, cook books, a feature film--need I go on?
During his talk in Seattle, Wageman revealed that Rovio welcomes over 120 million monthly Angry Birds players across the myriad of platforms the game is available on. Simply put, the western world is hooked on Angry Birds (it's science, remember?) and soon so will the East, if Rovio has any say in it. Sure, that's less than half of the 273 million or so monthly players Zynga caters to on Facebook alone, to which Wageman said, "We haven't even launched on Facebook yet." Oh ... oh, no.
[Image Credit: FuckYeahAlbuquerque]
Are you one of the 120 million or more devoted Angry Birds fans? Do you think Rovio could compete directly with Zynga when Angry Birds launches on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Where else will the Angry Birds crash land into and dominate? Nintendo 3DS? Xbox 360? Your scientific calculator? Who knows, but according to All Things Digital, Rovio SVP of brand advertising and analytics Wibe Wagemans said yesterday at the Mobile Future Forward conference in Seattle, Wash. that Angry Birds is the number on game on Google+ Games.
Granted, that's out of all 16 games on the platform right now, but some of those games were put there by the likes of major social game creators like Zynga, Wooga, EA and Playdom. Wagemans, formerly an executive on Microsoft's Bing team, went on to say that Rovio has grown faster in the past two years than companies like MySpace, YouTube, Amazon and Skype. He also said, "We are now the fastest-growing consumer brand in history," ATD reports.
When you think about it, though: Not only is the Angry Birds game on nearly every gaming platform under the sun, but the little wingless cartoons and their amorphous green piglet enemies have been transformed into plush toys, t-shirts, board games, cook books, a feature film--need I go on?
During his talk in Seattle, Wageman revealed that Rovio welcomes over 120 million monthly Angry Birds players across the myriad of platforms the game is available on. Simply put, the western world is hooked on Angry Birds (it's science, remember?) and soon so will the East, if Rovio has any say in it. Sure, that's less than half of the 273 million or so monthly players Zynga caters to on Facebook alone, to which Wageman said, "We haven't even launched on Facebook yet." Oh ... oh, no.
[Image Credit: FuckYeahAlbuquerque]
Are you one of the 120 million or more devoted Angry Birds fans? Do you think Rovio could compete directly with Zynga when Angry Birds launches on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Survey: Bejeweled Blitz could sharpen old noggin in baby boomers
For the young, and now the old, it looks like PopCap games are good for everyone. In a survey of over 10,000 U.S. residents conducted by researcher Susan K. Whitbourne, Ph.D., 47 percent of older adults who play Bejeweled Blitz regularly reported feeling sharper while performing tasks.
Whitbourne, a psychology researcher at University of Massachusetts Amherst, presented her findings at this year's American Psychological Association's (APA) convention in Washington D.C. According to PopCap, Whitbourne believes that Bejeweled Blitz could be a viable platform for improving cognitive skills in older adults because it involves several of the skills that have been shown the be improved after playing video games.
Designed to see whether Whitbourne's inklings checked out, the survey found that 22.4 percent of participants aged 65 and over found their ability to see patterns improved. A small 23.9 percent of the same group reported that they could perform timed tasks more quickly after playing the game regularly. While the survey consisted of 10,331 adults aged 18 to 80-years-old, 41 percent of those were 50-years-old and over (and 83 percent total were women). And it's worth nothing that over 78 percent of participants reported to have a college degree.
Nearly half (47.5 percent) of adults aged 50 and older said that they paid no attention to the 60-second countdown timer in Bejeweled Blitz, and 52.9 percent of those 65-years-old and over reported the same reaction. Both groups of older folks were less likely than those 18 to 24-years-old to report feeling anxious because of the timer. Overall, a whopping 66.4 percent said that the game's multiplier gems were positively motivating.
Whitbourne's findings were well-received by some at the convention, like Dr. Walter Boot, director of the Attention and Training Lab of the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. "I believe the work Dr. Whitbourne and her colleagues are doing, using Bejeweled Blitz, is both critical and exciting, and that more research like this needs to be done exploring not only the types of games that bring about cognitive benefits, but also the types of games older adults are willing to play and why," Boot said. "The best cognitive aging intervention in the world is useless if older adults aren't willing and able to engage in it."
Of course, PopCap has a vested interested in the various applications of its hit games. But these findings are interesting, nevertheless. Well, there you have it: It looks like PopCap games like Bejeweled have become the proverbial Coca-Cola of the games industry--not only are they delicious fun, but they're good for you, too!
Do you believe that games like Bejeweled could be good for your cognitive health? What games do you or older folks in your life play to keep the brain in tip-top shape? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Whitbourne, a psychology researcher at University of Massachusetts Amherst, presented her findings at this year's American Psychological Association's (APA) convention in Washington D.C. According to PopCap, Whitbourne believes that Bejeweled Blitz could be a viable platform for improving cognitive skills in older adults because it involves several of the skills that have been shown the be improved after playing video games.
Designed to see whether Whitbourne's inklings checked out, the survey found that 22.4 percent of participants aged 65 and over found their ability to see patterns improved. A small 23.9 percent of the same group reported that they could perform timed tasks more quickly after playing the game regularly. While the survey consisted of 10,331 adults aged 18 to 80-years-old, 41 percent of those were 50-years-old and over (and 83 percent total were women). And it's worth nothing that over 78 percent of participants reported to have a college degree.
Nearly half (47.5 percent) of adults aged 50 and older said that they paid no attention to the 60-second countdown timer in Bejeweled Blitz, and 52.9 percent of those 65-years-old and over reported the same reaction. Both groups of older folks were less likely than those 18 to 24-years-old to report feeling anxious because of the timer. Overall, a whopping 66.4 percent said that the game's multiplier gems were positively motivating.
Whitbourne's findings were well-received by some at the convention, like Dr. Walter Boot, director of the Attention and Training Lab of the Department of Psychology at Florida State University. "I believe the work Dr. Whitbourne and her colleagues are doing, using Bejeweled Blitz, is both critical and exciting, and that more research like this needs to be done exploring not only the types of games that bring about cognitive benefits, but also the types of games older adults are willing to play and why," Boot said. "The best cognitive aging intervention in the world is useless if older adults aren't willing and able to engage in it."
Of course, PopCap has a vested interested in the various applications of its hit games. But these findings are interesting, nevertheless. Well, there you have it: It looks like PopCap games like Bejeweled have become the proverbial Coca-Cola of the games industry--not only are they delicious fun, but they're good for you, too!
Do you believe that games like Bejeweled could be good for your cognitive health? What games do you or older folks in your life play to keep the brain in tip-top shape? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Adult Swim Games Arcade brings some shock and awe to Facebook
Robot Unicorn Attack -- the most magical game of all time -- and its darker twin, Heavy Metal, now have company as their developer, Adult Swim Games, has finally decided to launch a stable of their games on Facebook yesterday.
Adult Swim, a cable network (on the same channel as the Cartoon Network) known for dozens of high-quality absurdist and shock comedy shows, runs a games portal that houses over a hundred absurdist and shock comedy online games. (However, there's no overlap between the two in terms of content. That is, you're not going to get a Robot Unicorn Attack show, or a Venture Bros. game, no matter how badly you want one.) Now a fraction of that portal is accessible via Facebook.
To give you an idea of what you'll be walking into, they've got titles like "Five Minutes to Kill Yourself Wedding Day", "Amateur Surgeon", "Pole Dance Party", "Death Row Diner", and "Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies". Of course, Robot Unicorn Attack is also there, but it's only linked there, since it was released last September as a separate app.
Adult Swim Games Arcade view all games
This new arcade app currently contains 21 games categorized along 6 genres: Action, Adventure, Twitchy, Shooter, Puzzle, and Classic. If you're wondering what "Twitchy" means, it describes games where reaction time is of utmost importance.
Adult Swim Games arcade
Unlike your usual new Facebook game launch, all of these games have stood the test of time on the Adult Swim Games website. However, the arcade app itself is currently in beta, so if something breaks or you've got a kerfuffle, shoot them an email at games@adultswim.com.
Click here to play Adult Swim Games Arcade on Facebook now >
Do you find Adult Swim Games disturbing or awesome? Have you ever seen an Adult Swim show? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Here we go, mayors. A new feature has been launched in CityVille that will help one of the biggest concerns I personally have with the game (and I know I'm not alone). A new Neighborhoods feature has launched to players above level 30, with at least 620 population, that will allow you to move homes (including high rises) into smaller areas to save space. This feature, you guessed it, is similar to the Mall feature, but here's a complete rundown of how this works for homes.
First and foremost, yes, you can have more than one Neighborhood in your town, and there are different types of Neighborhoods depending on the kinds of homes you'd like to store. Gated Communities cost 10,000 coins and store up to 15 Family Residences. Uptown Estates cost 15,000 coins and store 15 Apartments and finally, Palm Towers cost 20,000 coins and store 15 Vacation Home.
For our example, let's say you wanted to build a Gated Community in your town. You'd go into the store to purchase the base, as seen below, and would then need to whack that base six times to build up the frame.
From there, you'll instantly have access to two storage spots, of a possible five on the first "block," or "floor," if we're comparing this to the Mall. To fill these spaces, simply click on your empty Neighborhood and then click on "Fill" under one of the empty spaces. This will cause all of the buildings that can fit inside to glow. Click on one and voila! It's stored inside your Neighborhood, which will change shape and complexity as new buildings are added to it.
To unlock additional space inside your Neighborhoods, you'll need to ask your friends to staff extra spots, as seen above. The rate of one user per one storage slot isn't bad, really. Once your first block is full, you'll have to go through the process of asking for building materials to open up the second block. In our particular example of the Gated Community, you'll need five each of Red Bricks, Crossing Signs, Roof Tiles, Cement and Lumber. These are earned either by purchasing them outright with City Cash, or by asking your friends to send them to you.
When you've unlocked your second block, the process will repeat (and so on until you've unlocked and filled all three blocks, with more building materials being required the second time). Again, at first, these Neighborhoods may be incredibly space-consuming, but once they're full, you'll find them to be fairly space-saving, especially if you choose to place the largest homes in each category into storage. Don't worry about losing their stats, though, as you'll be able to collect rent as normal while they're inside. That is, you'll be able to click on your Neighborhood, and will then be asked to spend a larger amount of energy to collect from all "ready" buildings inside, just as you collect profits from your Mall.
All told, these are some fairly time consuming building projects, but if you're willing to go through with building them (and have plenty of friends around that are willing to help you out), you'll end up saving tons of space for future purchases, whether residential in nature or otherwise. We'll make sure to let you know when other kinds of Neighborhoods, for other kinds of homes are released, so keep checking back with us.
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the Neighborhoods feature? Is the space you saved substantial enough to warrant building them? Sound off in the comments.
Adult Swim, a cable network (on the same channel as the Cartoon Network) known for dozens of high-quality absurdist and shock comedy shows, runs a games portal that houses over a hundred absurdist and shock comedy online games. (However, there's no overlap between the two in terms of content. That is, you're not going to get a Robot Unicorn Attack show, or a Venture Bros. game, no matter how badly you want one.) Now a fraction of that portal is accessible via Facebook.
To give you an idea of what you'll be walking into, they've got titles like "Five Minutes to Kill Yourself Wedding Day", "Amateur Surgeon", "Pole Dance Party", "Death Row Diner", and "Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies". Of course, Robot Unicorn Attack is also there, but it's only linked there, since it was released last September as a separate app.
Adult Swim Games Arcade view all games
This new arcade app currently contains 21 games categorized along 6 genres: Action, Adventure, Twitchy, Shooter, Puzzle, and Classic. If you're wondering what "Twitchy" means, it describes games where reaction time is of utmost importance.
Adult Swim Games arcade
Unlike your usual new Facebook game launch, all of these games have stood the test of time on the Adult Swim Games website. However, the arcade app itself is currently in beta, so if something breaks or you've got a kerfuffle, shoot them an email at games@adultswim.com.
Click here to play Adult Swim Games Arcade on Facebook now >
Do you find Adult Swim Games disturbing or awesome? Have you ever seen an Adult Swim show? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
Here we go, mayors. A new feature has been launched in CityVille that will help one of the biggest concerns I personally have with the game (and I know I'm not alone). A new Neighborhoods feature has launched to players above level 30, with at least 620 population, that will allow you to move homes (including high rises) into smaller areas to save space. This feature, you guessed it, is similar to the Mall feature, but here's a complete rundown of how this works for homes.
First and foremost, yes, you can have more than one Neighborhood in your town, and there are different types of Neighborhoods depending on the kinds of homes you'd like to store. Gated Communities cost 10,000 coins and store up to 15 Family Residences. Uptown Estates cost 15,000 coins and store 15 Apartments and finally, Palm Towers cost 20,000 coins and store 15 Vacation Home.
For our example, let's say you wanted to build a Gated Community in your town. You'd go into the store to purchase the base, as seen below, and would then need to whack that base six times to build up the frame.
From there, you'll instantly have access to two storage spots, of a possible five on the first "block," or "floor," if we're comparing this to the Mall. To fill these spaces, simply click on your empty Neighborhood and then click on "Fill" under one of the empty spaces. This will cause all of the buildings that can fit inside to glow. Click on one and voila! It's stored inside your Neighborhood, which will change shape and complexity as new buildings are added to it.
To unlock additional space inside your Neighborhoods, you'll need to ask your friends to staff extra spots, as seen above. The rate of one user per one storage slot isn't bad, really. Once your first block is full, you'll have to go through the process of asking for building materials to open up the second block. In our particular example of the Gated Community, you'll need five each of Red Bricks, Crossing Signs, Roof Tiles, Cement and Lumber. These are earned either by purchasing them outright with City Cash, or by asking your friends to send them to you.
When you've unlocked your second block, the process will repeat (and so on until you've unlocked and filled all three blocks, with more building materials being required the second time). Again, at first, these Neighborhoods may be incredibly space-consuming, but once they're full, you'll find them to be fairly space-saving, especially if you choose to place the largest homes in each category into storage. Don't worry about losing their stats, though, as you'll be able to collect rent as normal while they're inside. That is, you'll be able to click on your Neighborhood, and will then be asked to spend a larger amount of energy to collect from all "ready" buildings inside, just as you collect profits from your Mall.
All told, these are some fairly time consuming building projects, but if you're willing to go through with building them (and have plenty of friends around that are willing to help you out), you'll end up saving tons of space for future purchases, whether residential in nature or otherwise. We'll make sure to let you know when other kinds of Neighborhoods, for other kinds of homes are released, so keep checking back with us.
Check out the rest of our CityVille Cheats & Tips right here.
What do you think of the Neighborhoods feature? Is the space you saved substantial enough to warrant building them? Sound off in the comments.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
FarmVille Animal Sanctuary Items: Melaleuca Tree, Zebra Unicorn, Zoo Lodge and more
Whether you're growing tired of the Animal Sanctuary theme in FarmVille, or if you've been eagerly awaiting more, the market has been updated this evening with even more items in the theme for your shopping (or just browsing) pleasure. There are new animals, trees and more available to choose from, and as usual, we're here to give you a breakdown of each and every item released this evening, so you can make the most educated shopping experiences possible (because, let's face it - that Farm Cash doesn't come cheap).
Trees
Eucalyptus Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Melaleuca Tree - 15 Farm Cash
In this case, the Eucalyptus Tree is the level one tree, allowing you to save those 15 Farm Cash and earn a Melaleuca Tree (or two... or ten) for free via Mystery Seedlings either grown in your own Orchards, or claimed from friends' wall posts. As usual, both of these trees can be mastered, with the first star coming at 75 harvests (each).
Animals
Zebra Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Sloth Bear - 12 Farm Cash
Yes, I said it --err, typed it. A unicorn is available with tonight's update, which should make horse and unicorn collectors alike really excited. As with most other unicorns, the price here is pretty high, but I suppose that's the price you pay for a zebra-striped unicorn with a baby blue mane. Also, if you happen to login to your game and see prices that are different from those mentioned and pictured here, keep in mind that Zynga likes to "price test," to see just how high they can price an item and still have users pay the fee. You may have just come across one such test, so don't be alarmed - a single price will be decided upon soon enough, I'm sure.
Buildings
Zoo Lodge - 20 Farm Cash
This building doesn't necessary scream of being perfect for a zoo, but it has the "lodge" portion down. This fairly large building has an angled ceiling with skylights that make it an interesting sight to say the least. You'll receive 2,000 experience points for purchasing one.
Decorations:
Aviary Fence - 5,000 coins
Koala Bear Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Crocodile Pond - 16 Farm Cash
Hummock Grassland - 10,000 coins
Alright, let's just take a moment to look at how cute the Koala Bear Gnome is - adorable, isn't he? Now that our moment is over, we can get back to the topic at hand: at least there are two coin items here, unlike previous releases, but unless you plan on creating some farm art with these fence tiles, you'll likely not feel that counts. Still, the pieces of Hummock Grassland look really nice next to one another, so if you're looking for a way to change the appearance of a large section of land, and don't mind losing the ability to place anything on top (say, if this land were in a garden or animal pen), feel free to buy them in bulk.
All of these items will be available to purchase from the game's store for the next two weeks. Hopefully, in that time, we'll see even more coin items released in this theme (or even in a new theme), and we'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
What do you think of tonight's Animal Sanctuary theme update? Are you a fan of decorating your entire farm surrounding a single theme, or do you keep pockets of different themes all around your farm? Sound off in the comments.
Trees
Eucalyptus Tree - 7 Farm Cash
Melaleuca Tree - 15 Farm Cash
In this case, the Eucalyptus Tree is the level one tree, allowing you to save those 15 Farm Cash and earn a Melaleuca Tree (or two... or ten) for free via Mystery Seedlings either grown in your own Orchards, or claimed from friends' wall posts. As usual, both of these trees can be mastered, with the first star coming at 75 harvests (each).
Animals
Zebra Unicorn - 30 Farm Cash
Sloth Bear - 12 Farm Cash
Yes, I said it --err, typed it. A unicorn is available with tonight's update, which should make horse and unicorn collectors alike really excited. As with most other unicorns, the price here is pretty high, but I suppose that's the price you pay for a zebra-striped unicorn with a baby blue mane. Also, if you happen to login to your game and see prices that are different from those mentioned and pictured here, keep in mind that Zynga likes to "price test," to see just how high they can price an item and still have users pay the fee. You may have just come across one such test, so don't be alarmed - a single price will be decided upon soon enough, I'm sure.
Buildings
Zoo Lodge - 20 Farm Cash
This building doesn't necessary scream of being perfect for a zoo, but it has the "lodge" portion down. This fairly large building has an angled ceiling with skylights that make it an interesting sight to say the least. You'll receive 2,000 experience points for purchasing one.
Decorations:
Aviary Fence - 5,000 coins
Koala Bear Gnome - 15 Farm Cash
Crocodile Pond - 16 Farm Cash
Hummock Grassland - 10,000 coins
Alright, let's just take a moment to look at how cute the Koala Bear Gnome is - adorable, isn't he? Now that our moment is over, we can get back to the topic at hand: at least there are two coin items here, unlike previous releases, but unless you plan on creating some farm art with these fence tiles, you'll likely not feel that counts. Still, the pieces of Hummock Grassland look really nice next to one another, so if you're looking for a way to change the appearance of a large section of land, and don't mind losing the ability to place anything on top (say, if this land were in a garden or animal pen), feel free to buy them in bulk.
All of these items will be available to purchase from the game's store for the next two weeks. Hopefully, in that time, we'll see even more coin items released in this theme (or even in a new theme), and we'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
What do you think of tonight's Animal Sanctuary theme update? Are you a fan of decorating your entire farm surrounding a single theme, or do you keep pockets of different themes all around your farm? Sound off in the comments.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Will Lighthouse Cove cost 45 Farm Cash?
According to an unreleased market image, that answer is yes. Before we start panicking, let's dig a little further into this. The folks at FarmVille Masters came across this image, which looks to say that a single ticket into Lighthouse Cove in FarmVille costs 45 Farm Cash. The Farm Cash option isn't a shocker, as we saw the same thing happen with the launch of the English Countryside earlier this year.
What will be interesting is whether or not the free tickets to Lighthouse Cove (assuming they exist, and the third farm isn't solely open to paying players) will launch at the same time as Farm Cash tickets, or if non-paying players will have to wait for the third farm to open up to them at a later date, in the same way we see expansions taking weeks or even months to be released for coins after they've launched for Farm Cash.
Either way, this 45 Farm Cash price tag opens up a whole list of possibilities for debate. Is that too expensive, or a fair price? What if non-paying players really are left out of this farm, even if temporarily, until Zynga decides to let them in for free? How will users react to such a setup? There's potential for conflict and drama here, farmers, and we'll make sure to stay on top of things as we see just how it all plays out.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Masters]
Share your thoughts with us on this potential Lighthouse Cove price tag. Is 45 Farm Cash an acceptable amount to pay for access to a third farm, or will you be patient and wait for the free tickets that will likely come? Sound off in the comments.
What will be interesting is whether or not the free tickets to Lighthouse Cove (assuming they exist, and the third farm isn't solely open to paying players) will launch at the same time as Farm Cash tickets, or if non-paying players will have to wait for the third farm to open up to them at a later date, in the same way we see expansions taking weeks or even months to be released for coins after they've launched for Farm Cash.
Either way, this 45 Farm Cash price tag opens up a whole list of possibilities for debate. Is that too expensive, or a fair price? What if non-paying players really are left out of this farm, even if temporarily, until Zynga decides to let them in for free? How will users react to such a setup? There's potential for conflict and drama here, farmers, and we'll make sure to stay on top of things as we see just how it all plays out.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Masters]
Share your thoughts with us on this potential Lighthouse Cove price tag. Is 45 Farm Cash an acceptable amount to pay for access to a third farm, or will you be patient and wait for the free tickets that will likely come? Sound off in the comments.
Contra creator Konami welcomes over 10 million social gamers
Does this mean we'll get to blast alien scum with giant guns on Facebook anytime soon? Probably not, but Konami sounds quite proud of itself, regardless. Siliconera reports that the creator of hit franchises like Contra and Castlevania welcomed its 10 millionth social gamer just this past August, thanks to its games on smartphones and Japanese social networks like Gree.
Specifically, Konami cited games like Dragon Collection, a game available over Gree and on smartphones that has over 4 million players collecting Dragon Cards and battling their friends with them. The game has been so successful that it has been inducted into the Gree Hall of Fame for apps, and has its very own weekly manga (Japanese take on comic books) serialization.
Other social hits published by Konami include Sengoku Collection, which sounds similar to Dragon Collection only set during Japan's Warring States period, with over 2 million registered players. Another, according to Siliconera, is Professional Dream Baseball Nine, a game that has held the number 2 spot on Gree's app rankings for 17 weeks running with over 1 million players. According to Siliconera, the game is even licensed by Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
This is pretty stellar news for Konami, who, like many Western game companies including EA, THQ and Ubisoft, has social gaming in its cross hairs more so than ever. In fact, Konami even recently reworked Hudson Soft, its subsidiary responsible for popular franchises like Bomberman, into a social games division for the publisher. (This 10 million players mark could include games the company has already released on Facebook like Viva Mall!.) Imagining the amount of yen being thrown at the company in games like Dragon Collection, we doubt this will be the last we hear of Konami's social soirée.
[Image Credit: Konami Digital Entertainment]
Do you think Konami was smart in focusing this much attention on social games? Which of the publishers famous franchises do you wish were interpreted for Facebook or other social platforms? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Specifically, Konami cited games like Dragon Collection, a game available over Gree and on smartphones that has over 4 million players collecting Dragon Cards and battling their friends with them. The game has been so successful that it has been inducted into the Gree Hall of Fame for apps, and has its very own weekly manga (Japanese take on comic books) serialization.
Other social hits published by Konami include Sengoku Collection, which sounds similar to Dragon Collection only set during Japan's Warring States period, with over 2 million registered players. Another, according to Siliconera, is Professional Dream Baseball Nine, a game that has held the number 2 spot on Gree's app rankings for 17 weeks running with over 1 million players. According to Siliconera, the game is even licensed by Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League.
This is pretty stellar news for Konami, who, like many Western game companies including EA, THQ and Ubisoft, has social gaming in its cross hairs more so than ever. In fact, Konami even recently reworked Hudson Soft, its subsidiary responsible for popular franchises like Bomberman, into a social games division for the publisher. (This 10 million players mark could include games the company has already released on Facebook like Viva Mall!.) Imagining the amount of yen being thrown at the company in games like Dragon Collection, we doubt this will be the last we hear of Konami's social soirée.
[Image Credit: Konami Digital Entertainment]
Do you think Konami was smart in focusing this much attention on social games? Which of the publishers famous franchises do you wish were interpreted for Facebook or other social platforms? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
FIFA Superstars on iPhone yanked from App Store due to 'server issues'
EA is sitting pretty on Facebook at the moment, but on smartphones ... not so much. Mobile Entertainment reports that that the publisher has been forced to remove its recently-released iPhone version of Facebook soccer (football) hit FIFA Superstars from the App Store due to "server issues."
The game, released in late August, provides the 2.8 million monthly players of the Facebook version of FIFA Superstars a near-identical representation of what they're used to seeing in their browsers. However, the game suffered login issues from the get-go, it seems. Players have been unable to access the game after logging into the company's new Origin service.
"We are currently experiencing server issues with FIFA Superstars mobile that have required us to temporarily take the game down," EA told Mobile Entertainment. "This is not a data security-related issue. We are implementing a solution that will ensure users have the best gameplay experience, and will provide an update soon as to when the game will be live again."
According to Mobile Entertainment, EA stresses that this issue does not affect the Facebook version of the game, and that players can still enjoy the game there for now. (When we tried to log into the game, we didn't encounter any issues either.) It's comforting to see that EA is more vocal with the issues it has encountered in this game than it has been with social games in the past.
When its hyper popular Facebook version of The Sims, The Sims Social, suffered launch issues, the company was mum on the details for days before it released a message to its players with an explanation (and later threw them a bone). Since then, the game has enjoyed incredible growth, so hopefully FIFA Superstars for iPhone can bounce back from these hiccups just as well.
[Via Pocket Gamer]
Did you have trouble logging into FIFA Superstars for iPhone, too? What are you doing to scratch the social soccer itch while you wait for the game to return to the App Store? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
The game, released in late August, provides the 2.8 million monthly players of the Facebook version of FIFA Superstars a near-identical representation of what they're used to seeing in their browsers. However, the game suffered login issues from the get-go, it seems. Players have been unable to access the game after logging into the company's new Origin service.
"We are currently experiencing server issues with FIFA Superstars mobile that have required us to temporarily take the game down," EA told Mobile Entertainment. "This is not a data security-related issue. We are implementing a solution that will ensure users have the best gameplay experience, and will provide an update soon as to when the game will be live again."
According to Mobile Entertainment, EA stresses that this issue does not affect the Facebook version of the game, and that players can still enjoy the game there for now. (When we tried to log into the game, we didn't encounter any issues either.) It's comforting to see that EA is more vocal with the issues it has encountered in this game than it has been with social games in the past.
When its hyper popular Facebook version of The Sims, The Sims Social, suffered launch issues, the company was mum on the details for days before it released a message to its players with an explanation (and later threw them a bone). Since then, the game has enjoyed incredible growth, so hopefully FIFA Superstars for iPhone can bounce back from these hiccups just as well.
[Via Pocket Gamer]
Did you have trouble logging into FIFA Superstars for iPhone, too? What are you doing to scratch the social soccer itch while you wait for the game to return to the App Store? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Social game makers Gree, DeNA to take spotlight at Tokyo Game Show
Social games will go toe to toe with the hardcore scene at this year's Tokyo Game Show, Reuters reports. Gree, the 26 million player-strong mobile and social games creator hailing from Japan, will have one of the largest booths at Japan's equivalent of E3 this year, according to Reuters. In fact, both Gree and its competitor DeNA will conduct keynote addresses at the event, which runs Sept. 15 through 18.
Reuters reports that several game companies aside from DeNA and Gree, including famed creator of games like Contra and Castlevania (some of the most hardcore franchises around) Konami, are shifting resources toward social games. While the biggest Japanese games company, Nintendo, lags behind as it continues to focus on games created deliberately to take advantage of its hardware. Unfortunately, that hasn't been working out so well for the company as of late.
"Nintendo has done some pretty awful things - no software, poor pricing, poor PR, no sign of a sustainable turnaround, software support dropping like flies," JP Morgan analyst Hiroshi Kamide told Reuters, referring to the failed 3DS launch (and resultant massive price drop).
On the other hand, competitor Konami recently welcomed over 10 million players to its social games. "You can make serious returns with social games in Japan if done well - and that is exactly what they have done," Kamide said to Reuters about Konami.
Both DeNA (which enjoys 3 million more monthly players than its rival) and Gree have major ambitions of becoming global competitors in the social games space to companies like Zynga and EA, which have blazed the trail for Facebook and mobile social game in the western world. Just this past year, both Gree and DeNA made huge purchases to make global headway in the space with mobile social game network OpenFeint and mobile games developer Ngmoco, respectively.
Just as some social game makers invaded this year's E3 event in the states, it looks like the ballooning sub genre will fill up the streets of Tokyo this week, too. Whether the two companies will fill the conference halls with hot air has yet to be seen. But considering Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley analyst Masato Araki expects Japan's social games industry to grow to about 400 billion yen ($5.1 billion) by 2013 from 106 billion yen in 2011, according to Reuters, you can bet everyone will be all ears.
Do you think Gree and DeNA will have some new, interesting things to say about social games at this year's TGS? How do you think traditional Japanese gaming companies will respond? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Reuters reports that several game companies aside from DeNA and Gree, including famed creator of games like Contra and Castlevania (some of the most hardcore franchises around) Konami, are shifting resources toward social games. While the biggest Japanese games company, Nintendo, lags behind as it continues to focus on games created deliberately to take advantage of its hardware. Unfortunately, that hasn't been working out so well for the company as of late.
"Nintendo has done some pretty awful things - no software, poor pricing, poor PR, no sign of a sustainable turnaround, software support dropping like flies," JP Morgan analyst Hiroshi Kamide told Reuters, referring to the failed 3DS launch (and resultant massive price drop).
On the other hand, competitor Konami recently welcomed over 10 million players to its social games. "You can make serious returns with social games in Japan if done well - and that is exactly what they have done," Kamide said to Reuters about Konami.
Both DeNA (which enjoys 3 million more monthly players than its rival) and Gree have major ambitions of becoming global competitors in the social games space to companies like Zynga and EA, which have blazed the trail for Facebook and mobile social game in the western world. Just this past year, both Gree and DeNA made huge purchases to make global headway in the space with mobile social game network OpenFeint and mobile games developer Ngmoco, respectively.
Just as some social game makers invaded this year's E3 event in the states, it looks like the ballooning sub genre will fill up the streets of Tokyo this week, too. Whether the two companies will fill the conference halls with hot air has yet to be seen. But considering Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley analyst Masato Araki expects Japan's social games industry to grow to about 400 billion yen ($5.1 billion) by 2013 from 106 billion yen in 2011, according to Reuters, you can bet everyone will be all ears.
Do you think Gree and DeNA will have some new, interesting things to say about social games at this year's TGS? How do you think traditional Japanese gaming companies will respond? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Monday, September 26, 2011
Jimmy Buffett will tie Margaritaville Online to the real deal
In likely the most obvious brilliant move into Facebook games yet, Jimmy Buffett is hard at work with publisher THQ and Vancouver, BC-based developer Exploding Barrel Games on Margaritaville Online. (Though, why the game isn't simply known as "MargaritaVille" is beyond us.) In an interview with CNN, the legendary performer, author and songwriter spilled the salt, so to speak, on when the game will release and what it will be like.
According to Buffett, Exploding Barrel Games and THQ are looking at an October release to coincide with the end of his Las Vegas tour. As we already know from its initial announcement, the game will feature full 3D visuals, but Buffett revealed to CNN that players will first arrive in Margaritaville on a boat (of course) at Captain Tony's Bar. This game follows Buffett's songs, but goes even further to explore the stories within the world he has created over nearly 40 years.
The songwriter revealed that he hopes to connect the Facebook and iPad game to his existing Margaritaville restaurants and hotels via virtual goods purchased in the game. However, he has even more ambitious ideas for Margaritaville Online. "I'm toying with ideas of taking it into the real world, where you could have a battle of the bands, or you could have people play in our band," Buffett told CNN. "That's the kind of involvement that I'm looking at in the future."
Gallery: MargaritaVille Online on Facebook
Buffett will directly involve himself in the game beyond his music, which players will be able to listen to in-game. Parrot Heads will be able to directly interact with Buffett in the game, though there's a catch. "But you won't see my real name," Buffett revealed to CNN. "I'll sneak in. I already have my pseudonyms picked out, because I know they'll track me quick." We might not be able track the virtual Jimmy Buffett just yet, but we'll be tracking the release of this game ... just after this margarita.
Are you excited for Jimmy Buffett's big break on Facebook? What else do you hope to see in this social rendition of his tasty liquor-soaked world? Sound off in the comments. 13 Comments
According to Buffett, Exploding Barrel Games and THQ are looking at an October release to coincide with the end of his Las Vegas tour. As we already know from its initial announcement, the game will feature full 3D visuals, but Buffett revealed to CNN that players will first arrive in Margaritaville on a boat (of course) at Captain Tony's Bar. This game follows Buffett's songs, but goes even further to explore the stories within the world he has created over nearly 40 years.
The songwriter revealed that he hopes to connect the Facebook and iPad game to his existing Margaritaville restaurants and hotels via virtual goods purchased in the game. However, he has even more ambitious ideas for Margaritaville Online. "I'm toying with ideas of taking it into the real world, where you could have a battle of the bands, or you could have people play in our band," Buffett told CNN. "That's the kind of involvement that I'm looking at in the future."
Gallery: MargaritaVille Online on Facebook
Buffett will directly involve himself in the game beyond his music, which players will be able to listen to in-game. Parrot Heads will be able to directly interact with Buffett in the game, though there's a catch. "But you won't see my real name," Buffett revealed to CNN. "I'll sneak in. I already have my pseudonyms picked out, because I know they'll track me quick." We might not be able track the virtual Jimmy Buffett just yet, but we'll be tracking the release of this game ... just after this margarita.
Are you excited for Jimmy Buffett's big break on Facebook? What else do you hope to see in this social rendition of his tasty liquor-soaked world? Sound off in the comments. 13 Comments
Pioneer Trail School House Upgrade: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail School House Upgrades
As your little ones sadly march off to another year of dreaded school, Zynga has turned that familiar fiasco into the next exciting update to Pioneer Trail. The School House can now be upgraded in a series of complex, repeatable Goals that will ultimately build your children's confidence in riding a pony to school. Of course, you must have at least one child and a completed School House. Since you probably just can't wait to send even more kids away to school, here's everything you need to know:
If you meet the above criteria, then a pop-up will appear next time you log in, click the green button to get started. (If you choose not to start immediately, just click on the School House and then "Upgrade" to start on the building.) To start the series of Goals, click on your oldest child, who will have an exclamation point hovering above its head.
Childhood Memories
* Have or Start the School House upgrade
* Feed 20 Pigs
* Feed 20 Ducks
Again, to start the upgrade, just click on the School House and then "Upgrade." From there, Humble Bob will appear with a message asking for a payment of 10 coins to start upgrading the building. Once you pay up, the School House will appear under a tarp during the upgrade process, which requires you to collect the following items:
Finish your School House
We image that, based on the wording of the upgrade menu, you will post requests to your News Feed for the 10 School Bells, School Desks and Text Books. The latter three, however, look as if you'll be asking friends directly for them. And that's especially unfortunate considering you need 15 of each.
The Pigs and Ducks must be fed on your Homestead, the first of which costs 365 coins, while we imagine the latter is referring to Injured Ducks and feeding them Critter Milk. Your rewards for completing this Goal include an Ice Cream Sandwich, 250XP and 250 Coins.
Make Hay While the Sun Shines!
* Tend 12 Horses on your homestead or neighbors'
* Collect 10 Small Pitchforks
* With your Child, mount the Playful Pony
This Goal is somewhat special in that it cannot be completed until you fill the Confidence Meter completely. This feature measures your progress in the repeatable Confidence Goals, which must be complete three times over. Though, each time you finish the set of Goals, you will be reward with a new animal and eventually the Playful Pony.
Before we get to that, however, you'll likely find the 10 Small Pitchforks through friend requests, as they're not a Market item. Your rewards for completing this overarching Goal will be an Apple Treat, 500XP and 500 Coins. Onto the Confidence Meter and its Goals.
Pioneer Trail Confidence Meter
Whenever you complete a "First Day of School" Goal, your child's Confidence Meter will grow, and completing the series will reward you with special decorative animals each time. The final reward will be the Playful Pony, which is exactly what you need to finish this series once and for all.
Fresh N' Fruity
* Harvest 20 Pink Roses
* Harvest 40 Apple Trees
* Collect 10 Salami
To harvest 20 Pink Roses, you will need at least 6,000 coins and 14 hours time, if you plant them all at once. Tending to an Apple Tree counts as harvesting it, though they don't produce Food until they're mature. Apple Trees cost 800 coins apiece. The 10 Salami more than likely come from asking your friends for them. For completing this Goal, enjoy a Green Apple Tree, six Wax Canvases and six Leather Straps.
Baby's Got A Brand New Bag
* Collect 15 School Supplies
* Collect 50 Reputation Points
* Craft two Rucksacks in the School House
School Supplies can be sent among friends through the Free Gifts page, so make sure to update your Wishlist with this item to increase your chances of friends sending them your way. To gather 50 Reputation Points, you must visit your friends' Homesteads and do favors for them. Since each visit provides five Reputation Points, just visit 10 friends and be done with it.
School House Crafting Workbench
To craft two Rucksacks, you will need a total of 16 Wax Canvases and 9 Leather Straps, both of which are found through asking friends (and the previous Goal's reward gives you a head start). Your rewards for this Goal are a Spring Water, 12 Copper Rivets and 12 Cloth Denim.
Upgraded School HouseGotta Look Good
* Collect Upgraded School House bonus once
* Collect 10 Pairs of Shoes
* Craft three School Outfits in the School House
Of course, you will have to have an Upgrade School House by this point. To find the 10 Pairs of Shoes, it looks like you'll yet again have to ask your friends. The same general idea in the previous Goal applies to this final Goal.
You're given a jump start with 12 Copper Rivets and Cloth Denim, but crafting three School Outfits will require a total of 27 Cooper Rivets and 18 Cloth Denim, the rest of which you must ask friends for. Enjoy your new Gala Apple Tree, 2,000XP and 2,000 Coins for completing this Goal.
The first time you complete this series of Goals, you'll earn a Giant Hamster. The second time around will reward you with a Cute Dalmatian (just a decorative animal), and the third tour will net you that Playful Pony required to finish the Goal titled "Make Hay While the Sun Shines!" Finally, that's the end of the School House upgrade Goals.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Have you started putting your digital kids through school once more? What tips do you have to complete these Goals even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
As your little ones sadly march off to another year of dreaded school, Zynga has turned that familiar fiasco into the next exciting update to Pioneer Trail. The School House can now be upgraded in a series of complex, repeatable Goals that will ultimately build your children's confidence in riding a pony to school. Of course, you must have at least one child and a completed School House. Since you probably just can't wait to send even more kids away to school, here's everything you need to know:
If you meet the above criteria, then a pop-up will appear next time you log in, click the green button to get started. (If you choose not to start immediately, just click on the School House and then "Upgrade" to start on the building.) To start the series of Goals, click on your oldest child, who will have an exclamation point hovering above its head.
Childhood Memories
* Have or Start the School House upgrade
* Feed 20 Pigs
* Feed 20 Ducks
Again, to start the upgrade, just click on the School House and then "Upgrade." From there, Humble Bob will appear with a message asking for a payment of 10 coins to start upgrading the building. Once you pay up, the School House will appear under a tarp during the upgrade process, which requires you to collect the following items:
Finish your School House
We image that, based on the wording of the upgrade menu, you will post requests to your News Feed for the 10 School Bells, School Desks and Text Books. The latter three, however, look as if you'll be asking friends directly for them. And that's especially unfortunate considering you need 15 of each.
The Pigs and Ducks must be fed on your Homestead, the first of which costs 365 coins, while we imagine the latter is referring to Injured Ducks and feeding them Critter Milk. Your rewards for completing this Goal include an Ice Cream Sandwich, 250XP and 250 Coins.
Make Hay While the Sun Shines!
* Tend 12 Horses on your homestead or neighbors'
* Collect 10 Small Pitchforks
* With your Child, mount the Playful Pony
This Goal is somewhat special in that it cannot be completed until you fill the Confidence Meter completely. This feature measures your progress in the repeatable Confidence Goals, which must be complete three times over. Though, each time you finish the set of Goals, you will be reward with a new animal and eventually the Playful Pony.
Before we get to that, however, you'll likely find the 10 Small Pitchforks through friend requests, as they're not a Market item. Your rewards for completing this overarching Goal will be an Apple Treat, 500XP and 500 Coins. Onto the Confidence Meter and its Goals.
Pioneer Trail Confidence Meter
Whenever you complete a "First Day of School" Goal, your child's Confidence Meter will grow, and completing the series will reward you with special decorative animals each time. The final reward will be the Playful Pony, which is exactly what you need to finish this series once and for all.
Fresh N' Fruity
* Harvest 20 Pink Roses
* Harvest 40 Apple Trees
* Collect 10 Salami
To harvest 20 Pink Roses, you will need at least 6,000 coins and 14 hours time, if you plant them all at once. Tending to an Apple Tree counts as harvesting it, though they don't produce Food until they're mature. Apple Trees cost 800 coins apiece. The 10 Salami more than likely come from asking your friends for them. For completing this Goal, enjoy a Green Apple Tree, six Wax Canvases and six Leather Straps.
Baby's Got A Brand New Bag
* Collect 15 School Supplies
* Collect 50 Reputation Points
* Craft two Rucksacks in the School House
School Supplies can be sent among friends through the Free Gifts page, so make sure to update your Wishlist with this item to increase your chances of friends sending them your way. To gather 50 Reputation Points, you must visit your friends' Homesteads and do favors for them. Since each visit provides five Reputation Points, just visit 10 friends and be done with it.
School House Crafting Workbench
To craft two Rucksacks, you will need a total of 16 Wax Canvases and 9 Leather Straps, both of which are found through asking friends (and the previous Goal's reward gives you a head start). Your rewards for this Goal are a Spring Water, 12 Copper Rivets and 12 Cloth Denim.
Upgraded School HouseGotta Look Good
* Collect Upgraded School House bonus once
* Collect 10 Pairs of Shoes
* Craft three School Outfits in the School House
Of course, you will have to have an Upgrade School House by this point. To find the 10 Pairs of Shoes, it looks like you'll yet again have to ask your friends. The same general idea in the previous Goal applies to this final Goal.
You're given a jump start with 12 Copper Rivets and Cloth Denim, but crafting three School Outfits will require a total of 27 Cooper Rivets and 18 Cloth Denim, the rest of which you must ask friends for. Enjoy your new Gala Apple Tree, 2,000XP and 2,000 Coins for completing this Goal.
The first time you complete this series of Goals, you'll earn a Giant Hamster. The second time around will reward you with a Cute Dalmatian (just a decorative animal), and the third tour will net you that Playful Pony required to finish the Goal titled "Make Hay While the Sun Shines!" Finally, that's the end of the School House upgrade Goals.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Have you started putting your digital kids through school once more? What tips do you have to complete these Goals even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
CityVille Governor's Run Goals Act 1, Part 1: Everything you need to know
Well, I guess we know now what Captain Krunsch meant when he said, "I plan on sleeping in the governor's mansion tonight!" Now that Governor Phil has abandoned his post and joined the Circus, Zynga has introduced the Governor's Run Goals to CityVille.
This event will span three acts, each consisting of nine Goals to complete. Here's everything you need to know about the first of the Governor's Run Goals, which revolve around Farmer Rita (Please keep in mind that this is early information and is subject to change):
First of all, you must be at least Level 50 to have access to these Goals. Once you reach that criteria, a window will appear upon logging into the game that features a short Flash video detailing just how Krunsch made it onto the campaign trail.
In this Governor's Run event, you must win over the hearts of the three major voting groups consisting of nine series of Goals: The People, Special Interests and Big Business. So far, we have just have information on Farmer Rita's portion of Act 1.
CityVille Feast or Famine
Feast or Famine
* Collect 10 Bags of Animal Feed
* Master the Alfalfa Crop
* Have 3,000 Goods
To acquire those 10 Bags of Animal Feed, ask your friends through the Goal's menu. To completely master Alfalfa, you will need a total of 13,200 coins, and each Alfalfa will take six hours to ripen. Harvesting 300 of these crops should net you the 3,000 Goods you need. Your reward for this Goal is 60 XP.
CityVille Run for Governor
Creating a Buzz
* Collect 15 Organic Locust Sprays
* Harvest 80 Locust Resistant Blueberries
* Harvest 80 Neighbor Crops
The 15 Organic Locust Sprays are found by asking friends through the Goal window. These Locust Resistant Blueberries look to be a new crop in the game. To harvest the 80 neighbor crops, you will have to visit 16 friends total. No reward information for this Goal is available yet.
Farmer Charmer
* Collect 20 Fruit Cartons
* Collect from 7 Cruise Ships
* Collect from Produce Paradise 10 times
The 20 Fruit Cartons are more than likely found through friend help requests, like the similar Goal requirements before it. Since Cruise Ships generally act like Community Buildings and can only be collected every 12 hours, this portion of the Goal will take at least 84 hours, or 3.5 days.
The Produce Paradise costs 12,500 coins, and considering the massive amounts of coins most high-level players have these days, I'd recommend buying a bunch and selling them back, if you're feeling impatient. Again, no reward information available on this one yet. Once you complete these three Goals, the second part of Governor's Run Act 1, "The People," will be made available to you.
[Source and Image Credits: Zynga, LightChan]
Have you started the Governor's Run series of Goals in CityVille yet? What tips do you have for completing these Goals even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 8 Comments
This event will span three acts, each consisting of nine Goals to complete. Here's everything you need to know about the first of the Governor's Run Goals, which revolve around Farmer Rita (Please keep in mind that this is early information and is subject to change):
First of all, you must be at least Level 50 to have access to these Goals. Once you reach that criteria, a window will appear upon logging into the game that features a short Flash video detailing just how Krunsch made it onto the campaign trail.
In this Governor's Run event, you must win over the hearts of the three major voting groups consisting of nine series of Goals: The People, Special Interests and Big Business. So far, we have just have information on Farmer Rita's portion of Act 1.
CityVille Feast or Famine
Feast or Famine
* Collect 10 Bags of Animal Feed
* Master the Alfalfa Crop
* Have 3,000 Goods
To acquire those 10 Bags of Animal Feed, ask your friends through the Goal's menu. To completely master Alfalfa, you will need a total of 13,200 coins, and each Alfalfa will take six hours to ripen. Harvesting 300 of these crops should net you the 3,000 Goods you need. Your reward for this Goal is 60 XP.
CityVille Run for Governor
Creating a Buzz
* Collect 15 Organic Locust Sprays
* Harvest 80 Locust Resistant Blueberries
* Harvest 80 Neighbor Crops
The 15 Organic Locust Sprays are found by asking friends through the Goal window. These Locust Resistant Blueberries look to be a new crop in the game. To harvest the 80 neighbor crops, you will have to visit 16 friends total. No reward information for this Goal is available yet.
Farmer Charmer
* Collect 20 Fruit Cartons
* Collect from 7 Cruise Ships
* Collect from Produce Paradise 10 times
The 20 Fruit Cartons are more than likely found through friend help requests, like the similar Goal requirements before it. Since Cruise Ships generally act like Community Buildings and can only be collected every 12 hours, this portion of the Goal will take at least 84 hours, or 3.5 days.
The Produce Paradise costs 12,500 coins, and considering the massive amounts of coins most high-level players have these days, I'd recommend buying a bunch and selling them back, if you're feeling impatient. Again, no reward information available on this one yet. Once you complete these three Goals, the second part of Governor's Run Act 1, "The People," will be made available to you.
[Source and Image Credits: Zynga, LightChan]
Have you started the Governor's Run series of Goals in CityVille yet? What tips do you have for completing these Goals even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 8 Comments
Honor late, great Patrick Swayze in ... a Dirty Dancing Facebook game?
Remember, it's Sept. 9, not April 1, so this is for real. AllFacebook reports that a Facebook game surrounding the iconic 1987 film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing, is in development at Toronto-based studio Social Game Universe. The game will include the tunes you all know from the hit movie, like "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" and "Hungry Eyes," as players rehearse and perform dance numbers at the Kellerman's Resort to level up.
Presented in 8-bit style visuals like the video games of the time, Dirty Dancing on Facebook will have players dancing alongside retro, digitized versions of Baby and Johnny from the movie. (I'd rather think of them as Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in glorious 8-bit rendering, but to each his own.)
Players will then roam around the resort and drop "Romance Waves" to cause guests to fall in love and stay for awhile longer. Wait, that never happened in the movie!
Anyway, players will perform real dance moves that originated from the film, likely including Baby's infamous "maraca shaking." If any of this tickles your fancy, you can head over to the Facebook page right now and sign up for a chance at an exclusive preview of the game.
However, it looks like Social Game Universe is looking for super fans, here--you've been warned. Dirty Dancing is expected to make its Facebook game debut later this month.
Are you psyched that Dirty Dancing is getting its very own Facebook game? (Hey, anything beats that weird remake released in 2004.) What other nods to the classic movie do you hope to see in this game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
Presented in 8-bit style visuals like the video games of the time, Dirty Dancing on Facebook will have players dancing alongside retro, digitized versions of Baby and Johnny from the movie. (I'd rather think of them as Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in glorious 8-bit rendering, but to each his own.)
Players will then roam around the resort and drop "Romance Waves" to cause guests to fall in love and stay for awhile longer. Wait, that never happened in the movie!
Anyway, players will perform real dance moves that originated from the film, likely including Baby's infamous "maraca shaking." If any of this tickles your fancy, you can head over to the Facebook page right now and sign up for a chance at an exclusive preview of the game.
However, it looks like Social Game Universe is looking for super fans, here--you've been warned. Dirty Dancing is expected to make its Facebook game debut later this month.
Are you psyched that Dirty Dancing is getting its very own Facebook game? (Hey, anything beats that weird remake released in 2004.) What other nods to the classic movie do you hope to see in this game? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Honoring 9/11 on barbs0803's memorial farm
WTC The SphereLast month, FarmVille player barbs0803 submitted the above farm entry with the caption: "My tribute to 911 Never forget those we have lost". Now seems to be the appropriate time to share it. This 9/11 tribute farm shows the towers on the day of their collapse, complete with fire and smoke, made out of what appears to be Maple, Yellow Maple, and Rainbow Trees that aren't in bloom. The smaller explosions are Outdoor Torches from last June's Tiki theme set. But to the right, barbs0803 has also included two reflecting pools crafted with bales of hay, a design based on the real 9/11 memorial plans, which involves pools built into the footprints of the original towers and surrounded by oak trees. These two centerpieces tell a story of before and after.
On the top left corner, Fleur de lis Trees are made to resemble golden laurels bordering a flag of the Great Seal of the United States. The rest of the farm is filled in by Forget-Me-Nots, reinforcing the memorial theme. It also proves that barbs0803 is at least a Level 90 player, because those flowers can't be planted otherwise. For a final bit of detail, barbs0803 added a statue between the towers, to resemble The Sphere, a sculpture that resided beneath the WTC and was damaged beyond repair on the day of the attack. However, there's one mistake that's immediately noticeable -- the use of Light Poles as antennas on both towers, since only the north tower, Tower One, had that feature.
Here in New York, it's hard to hide from the memory of September 11th, especially with its 10th anniversary on this coming Sunday. Personally, I feel the absence of the towers most strongly when I'm riding west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The twin towers were the most prominent and recognizable part of the lower Manhattan skyline. It's taken the city a decade to build a permanent memorial, which is finally opening to the public after this weekend. For those of you who can't make it, we'll always have barbs0803's farm.
Do you think a FarmVille farm is an appropriate way to memorialize September 11th? Can you identify the parts that barbs0803 used to create the towers? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
On the top left corner, Fleur de lis Trees are made to resemble golden laurels bordering a flag of the Great Seal of the United States. The rest of the farm is filled in by Forget-Me-Nots, reinforcing the memorial theme. It also proves that barbs0803 is at least a Level 90 player, because those flowers can't be planted otherwise. For a final bit of detail, barbs0803 added a statue between the towers, to resemble The Sphere, a sculpture that resided beneath the WTC and was damaged beyond repair on the day of the attack. However, there's one mistake that's immediately noticeable -- the use of Light Poles as antennas on both towers, since only the north tower, Tower One, had that feature.
Here in New York, it's hard to hide from the memory of September 11th, especially with its 10th anniversary on this coming Sunday. Personally, I feel the absence of the towers most strongly when I'm riding west on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The twin towers were the most prominent and recognizable part of the lower Manhattan skyline. It's taken the city a decade to build a permanent memorial, which is finally opening to the public after this weekend. For those of you who can't make it, we'll always have barbs0803's farm.
Do you think a FarmVille farm is an appropriate way to memorialize September 11th? Can you identify the parts that barbs0803 used to create the towers? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Tell your best FarmVille story to win early access to Lighthouse Cove
The hype surrounding Lighthouse Cove, the upcoming second expansion to FarmVille, is officially at a fever pitch. Zynga has teased us long enough about our future trip to the coastline, so it's about time it opens up the gates to Lighthouse Cove. Well, Zynga plans on doing just that ... for 25 people. Oh yes, if you want to be one of the first to step digital foot onto this new expansion, you'll have to work for it. It's time to put your writing chops to the test in a new FarmVille Story Challenge.
What you need to do is pen your brightest, most vivid FarmVille story in just 20 sentences or less, and accompany your tale with no more than seven unedited images of your farm. The game's team will then review all of the submissions posted in this forum thread and decide on 25 skilled FarmVille fabulists on Sept. 9 after 3 p.m. PST, when the contest ends.
If you're chosen as one of FarmVille's great storytellers, you will be asked to send your Facebook ID to FarmVille community manager TerriHelper through a forum private message. The winners, in addition to getting into Lighthouse Cove before everyone else (nyah, nyah!), will score exclusive items as well as a quest line just for them with "handsome rewards." If that didn't get your fingers typing yet, then nothing will. Check out the full contest rules here, and open that word processor already, will ya?
Have you started writing your epic FarmVille fable yet? What do you think of how Zynga is handling early access to Lighthouse Cove, and what are you excited for most with this new expansion? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
What you need to do is pen your brightest, most vivid FarmVille story in just 20 sentences or less, and accompany your tale with no more than seven unedited images of your farm. The game's team will then review all of the submissions posted in this forum thread and decide on 25 skilled FarmVille fabulists on Sept. 9 after 3 p.m. PST, when the contest ends.
If you're chosen as one of FarmVille's great storytellers, you will be asked to send your Facebook ID to FarmVille community manager TerriHelper through a forum private message. The winners, in addition to getting into Lighthouse Cove before everyone else (nyah, nyah!), will score exclusive items as well as a quest line just for them with "handsome rewards." If that didn't get your fingers typing yet, then nothing will. Check out the full contest rules here, and open that word processor already, will ya?
Have you started writing your epic FarmVille fable yet? What do you think of how Zynga is handling early access to Lighthouse Cove, and what are you excited for most with this new expansion? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
CityVille Tonga Tower Goals: Everything you need to know
The Eiffel Tower in CityVille has been but a light at the end of a tunnel for many players, a distant one. Now, Zynga has released the second step in unlocking the first Wonder to hit the game, the Tonga Tower.
This brand new Business is a tiki-themed restaurant that will eventually function as the previous Hotels released to the game. Of course, there are some daunting Goals tied directly to its construction. So, without further ado, here' everything you need to know about the Tonga Tower:
First things first, you must be at least Level 30 to access the Tonga Tower and the Goals attached to it. And while you do not have to build the Sailboat Hotel before the Tonga Tower, both are required to access the Eiffel Tower when it finally releases. If you're Level 30 and log into the game, Edgar will appear with a task for you.
Tonga Tower!
* Place the Tonga Tower
This woefully simple Goal will introduce you to the Tonga Tower. Just click on the Place button in the Goal's window to throw it onto your city. And ... that's it--enjoy the 2 XP that is your reward. (I mean, all you did was place a building, after all.) Placing the Tonga Tower will cause it to appear nearly finished complete with scaffolding. Click on it for your next and final Goal.
CityVille Unlock Tonga Tower
CityVille Tonga Tower completeUnlock the Tonga Tower
* Gather parts to Unlock Tonga Tower
* Upgrade one Tiki Business to Level 3
* Master one Tiki Crop to Level 3
Clicking on the Tonga Tower again after receiving this Goal will open the familiar window when constructing buildings. As per usual, you must ask your friends to send you items, which this time include seven of each these: Drink Umbrellas, Open Coconuts, Ukuleles, Table Mats and Welcome Treats.
The upgraded Businesses that will count toward this Goal are the Song Bird Pet Shop, the Ku Drive-in and the Tonga Room. We suggest you go with the Song Bird Pet Shop, as it's the cheapest option at 150,000 coins and will be ready for collection more often than the others as it holds just 320 Goods. Upgrading a Business is a completely different ball game these days, so check out this post for an idea of how to upgrade Businesses in the new system.
Crop Mastery is as simple as harvesting a given crop a certain amount of times, and you must harvest either the Pineapple or Sugar Cane crop to fulfill this Goal. We recommend going with the Sugar Cane, as it only costs 47 coins per plot, which amounts to 14,100 coins total for Level 3 Mastery. Your reward for this Goal is simple: a finished Tonga Tower, which will function like a normal Hotel once completed.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started on your Tonga Tower yet? What tips might you have for completing it even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
This brand new Business is a tiki-themed restaurant that will eventually function as the previous Hotels released to the game. Of course, there are some daunting Goals tied directly to its construction. So, without further ado, here' everything you need to know about the Tonga Tower:
First things first, you must be at least Level 30 to access the Tonga Tower and the Goals attached to it. And while you do not have to build the Sailboat Hotel before the Tonga Tower, both are required to access the Eiffel Tower when it finally releases. If you're Level 30 and log into the game, Edgar will appear with a task for you.
Tonga Tower!
* Place the Tonga Tower
This woefully simple Goal will introduce you to the Tonga Tower. Just click on the Place button in the Goal's window to throw it onto your city. And ... that's it--enjoy the 2 XP that is your reward. (I mean, all you did was place a building, after all.) Placing the Tonga Tower will cause it to appear nearly finished complete with scaffolding. Click on it for your next and final Goal.
CityVille Unlock Tonga Tower
CityVille Tonga Tower completeUnlock the Tonga Tower
* Gather parts to Unlock Tonga Tower
* Upgrade one Tiki Business to Level 3
* Master one Tiki Crop to Level 3
Clicking on the Tonga Tower again after receiving this Goal will open the familiar window when constructing buildings. As per usual, you must ask your friends to send you items, which this time include seven of each these: Drink Umbrellas, Open Coconuts, Ukuleles, Table Mats and Welcome Treats.
The upgraded Businesses that will count toward this Goal are the Song Bird Pet Shop, the Ku Drive-in and the Tonga Room. We suggest you go with the Song Bird Pet Shop, as it's the cheapest option at 150,000 coins and will be ready for collection more often than the others as it holds just 320 Goods. Upgrading a Business is a completely different ball game these days, so check out this post for an idea of how to upgrade Businesses in the new system.
Crop Mastery is as simple as harvesting a given crop a certain amount of times, and you must harvest either the Pineapple or Sugar Cane crop to fulfill this Goal. We recommend going with the Sugar Cane, as it only costs 47 coins per plot, which amounts to 14,100 coins total for Level 3 Mastery. Your reward for this Goal is simple: a finished Tonga Tower, which will function like a normal Hotel once completed.
[Source and Image Credit: Zynga]
Have you started on your Tonga Tower yet? What tips might you have for completing it even more quickly? Sound off in the comments. 4 Comments
Ubisoft CEO: Smurfs & Co. gained 4.2 million players with no marketing
And now, The Smurfs & Co. is sitting pretty with over 9 million monthly players since its launch just over a month ago. During an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed, "Smurfs went from zero to 4.2 million without marketing in two weeks."
While these might not be The Sims Social numbers, it speaks volumes to the power social games with strong brands behind them have on Facebook. This is especially considering Ubisoft conducted zero advertising (the main method of growth for Facebook games these days) for The Smurfs & Co. in that time period. That's the power of The Smurfs for ya, I guess.
Guillemont continued," So it's amazing how fast, when the content is adapted, those products can grow. So it really shows that people are very interested by new content in games. So we will continue to develop and make sure the quality of the game experience is adapted to what people are looking for."
In other words, the best way to for a Facebook game to grow is the keep it current, according to Guillemont. (So, that's why Zynga updates its games incessantly!) The Ubisoft boss went on to reveal to GamesIndustry.biz just why it's in on the rapidly growing free-to-play and social games movement: "In the long term there's no reason why the casual would not overcome the hardcore business because there are more people that are interested in buying casual."
So, if you ask Guillemont, casual (and free-to-play) are the way to go, which already accounted for 40 percent of the company's revenue in 2010. And Ubisoft is certainly not alone--EA has already spent over $1 billion on Facebook and mobile games, which is looking to already be paying off. Other traditional companies are slowly dipping their feet, while a legion of originally hardcore game designers have Facebook Credits twinkling in their eyes.
Does this mean no more Assassin's Creed or Ghost Recon for the hardcore crowd? Of course not, but I'm willing to bet that it does mean far more blue creatures in white hats in a not-so-little place called Facebook.
Do you agree that casual games could overtake hardcore games in the future? What do you think of The Smurfs & Co. so far, what brands do you hope Ubisoft brings to Facebook next? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
While these might not be The Sims Social numbers, it speaks volumes to the power social games with strong brands behind them have on Facebook. This is especially considering Ubisoft conducted zero advertising (the main method of growth for Facebook games these days) for The Smurfs & Co. in that time period. That's the power of The Smurfs for ya, I guess.
Guillemont continued," So it's amazing how fast, when the content is adapted, those products can grow. So it really shows that people are very interested by new content in games. So we will continue to develop and make sure the quality of the game experience is adapted to what people are looking for."
In other words, the best way to for a Facebook game to grow is the keep it current, according to Guillemont. (So, that's why Zynga updates its games incessantly!) The Ubisoft boss went on to reveal to GamesIndustry.biz just why it's in on the rapidly growing free-to-play and social games movement: "In the long term there's no reason why the casual would not overcome the hardcore business because there are more people that are interested in buying casual."
So, if you ask Guillemont, casual (and free-to-play) are the way to go, which already accounted for 40 percent of the company's revenue in 2010. And Ubisoft is certainly not alone--EA has already spent over $1 billion on Facebook and mobile games, which is looking to already be paying off. Other traditional companies are slowly dipping their feet, while a legion of originally hardcore game designers have Facebook Credits twinkling in their eyes.
Does this mean no more Assassin's Creed or Ghost Recon for the hardcore crowd? Of course not, but I'm willing to bet that it does mean far more blue creatures in white hats in a not-so-little place called Facebook.
Do you agree that casual games could overtake hardcore games in the future? What do you think of The Smurfs & Co. so far, what brands do you hope Ubisoft brings to Facebook next? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment
Game Developers Choice Online Awards Audience Award: Vote for your fave Facebook game
We know, you're miffed that your favorite Facebook game didn't make the cut in the second annual Game Developers Choice Online Awards nominations. Luckily for you, the Audience Award category has finally opened up for voting from the public starting today, Sept. 8, through Sept. 22. All you need to do is head on over to the Audience Award voting page, type in what game--any online game--you think should win, and provide an email address to confirm your vote.
The second annual GDC Online, an Austin, Texas-based online game-centric offshoot of the annual GDC event that takes place annually in San Francisco, is little more than a month away, running Oct. 10-13. The GDC Online Awards will be held on the evening of Oct. 12 in the Austin Convention Center. Now that you know all of the logistics regarding the GDC Online Awards, let's talk a bit about that Audience Award.
Frankly, it can be a little daunting, that blank white box, just waiting for your answer. If you need some help framing your answer deciding on a sound candidate, take a look at the nominees that were already decided upon. If that doesn't help, take a look at this month's Top 25 Facebook Games to see what's hot.
Or, you know, just vote for what game you enjoy best--just make sure it's a Facebook game, kay? League of Legends won the Audience Award last year, and while it's a blast, we can't have that this year ... or we'll miss out on the Facebook royalty checks again. (Before the flaming starts: Jokes, people, just jokes.)
Do you plan on casting a vote for the GDC Online Awards Audience Award? Which game do you think should win the honor? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
The second annual GDC Online, an Austin, Texas-based online game-centric offshoot of the annual GDC event that takes place annually in San Francisco, is little more than a month away, running Oct. 10-13. The GDC Online Awards will be held on the evening of Oct. 12 in the Austin Convention Center. Now that you know all of the logistics regarding the GDC Online Awards, let's talk a bit about that Audience Award.
Frankly, it can be a little daunting, that blank white box, just waiting for your answer. If you need some help framing your answer deciding on a sound candidate, take a look at the nominees that were already decided upon. If that doesn't help, take a look at this month's Top 25 Facebook Games to see what's hot.
Or, you know, just vote for what game you enjoy best--just make sure it's a Facebook game, kay? League of Legends won the Audience Award last year, and while it's a blast, we can't have that this year ... or we'll miss out on the Facebook royalty checks again. (Before the flaming starts: Jokes, people, just jokes.)
Do you plan on casting a vote for the GDC Online Awards Audience Award? Which game do you think should win the honor? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
It's time to explore Adventure World, Zynga's largest Facebook game yet
Seriously, do you have a few hours to kill? Then good, because you might need it (and some Facebook Credits, in that case). Zynga has set Adventure World loose on Facebook--all 30 maps, 200 quests, over 1,000 art assets and 20,000 objects included. In this game that just so happens to be 40 times larger than previous Zynga games like FarmVille, players assume the role of an adventurer in search of the golden city of El Dorado.
You'll trek across jungles, mountains, caverns, volcanoes and finally venture into El Dorado itself, overcoming a myriad of wild beasts, lethal traps and various puzzles using your wits in search of the ultimate treasure. Developed by Zynga Boston (formerly known as Conduit Labs), Adventure World makes use of pseudo-3D, cel-shaded visuals to achieve an art style reminiscent of comic books from the '40s revolving around the golden age of exploration.
"When we joined the Zynga family a year ago, our goal was to not only create a game unlike any other in the social gaming space today, but to create a completely new genre," Zynga Boston GM Nabeel Hyatt said in a release. "We call this genre social adventure, one where players can explore, discover and team up with friends on an adventure of a lifetime."
Gallery: Adventure World on Facebook
Player navigate the world using unique tools like whips, grappling hooks and more that level individually as your character progresses. Speaking of which, there are over 10,000 different avatar variations at launch through its customization system. Based on an early look at the game, Adventure World looks to be Zynga's most ambitious project yet, with game mechanics that teach players rather than tell them how to navigate the game world.
But players will have the help of their friends to navigate Adventure World, too. Players can enlist up to 12 friends along the way to help them overcome obstacles like puzzles and traps more easily. And as players use the same friends more often, the stronger those friends become, fostering tight-knit groups of asynchronous adventurers.
Adventure World is already available in eight languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish and Norwegian. Zynga also points out that this is the first game to feature a pygmy princess, so if that doesn't get you to click the link below, we don't know what will.
Click here to play Adventure World on Facebook Now >
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you tried Adventure World on Facebook yet? What do you think so far of this massive Zynga game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
You'll trek across jungles, mountains, caverns, volcanoes and finally venture into El Dorado itself, overcoming a myriad of wild beasts, lethal traps and various puzzles using your wits in search of the ultimate treasure. Developed by Zynga Boston (formerly known as Conduit Labs), Adventure World makes use of pseudo-3D, cel-shaded visuals to achieve an art style reminiscent of comic books from the '40s revolving around the golden age of exploration.
"When we joined the Zynga family a year ago, our goal was to not only create a game unlike any other in the social gaming space today, but to create a completely new genre," Zynga Boston GM Nabeel Hyatt said in a release. "We call this genre social adventure, one where players can explore, discover and team up with friends on an adventure of a lifetime."
Gallery: Adventure World on Facebook
Player navigate the world using unique tools like whips, grappling hooks and more that level individually as your character progresses. Speaking of which, there are over 10,000 different avatar variations at launch through its customization system. Based on an early look at the game, Adventure World looks to be Zynga's most ambitious project yet, with game mechanics that teach players rather than tell them how to navigate the game world.
But players will have the help of their friends to navigate Adventure World, too. Players can enlist up to 12 friends along the way to help them overcome obstacles like puzzles and traps more easily. And as players use the same friends more often, the stronger those friends become, fostering tight-knit groups of asynchronous adventurers.
Adventure World is already available in eight languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish and Norwegian. Zynga also points out that this is the first game to feature a pygmy princess, so if that doesn't get you to click the link below, we don't know what will.
Click here to play Adventure World on Facebook Now >
Check out the rest of our Adventure World Cheats & Tips right here.
Have you tried Adventure World on Facebook yet? What do you think so far of this massive Zynga game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.
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